Caspar Fownes officially wrapped up a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship after an eventful Sha Tin Finale Race Day on Sunday, 12 July, while Jerry Chau secured the Tony Cruz Award for leading homegrown jockey. The meeting also belonged to evergreen campaigner Beauty Joy, whose impressive victory in the day’s feature race added another memorable chapter to an outstanding career.
Hong Kong racing news.
With only nine races remaining before the 2025/26 Hong Kong season concludes at Happy Valley on Wednesday, 15 July, Fownes has established an unassailable lead on the trainers’ premiership with 69 winners. Danny Shum remains second on 64 victories and Mark Newnham third on 60, leaving neither with enough opportunities to overtake the veteran trainer.
The championship is the fifth of Fownes’ Hong Kong career, following previous titles in the 2006/07, 2008/09, 2013/14 and 2020/21 seasons. The achievement also lifted his overall tally to 1,235 winners in Hong Kong, further strengthening his standing among the territory’s most accomplished trainers.
Jerry Chau also reached a significant career milestone by sealing the Tony Cruz Award as Hong Kong’s leading homegrown jockey. Chau’s 48 victories have given him a decisive advantage over Vincent Ho, who sits on 38 wins heading into the season-ending meeting at Happy Valley. Since returning from a riding stint in Australia, Chau has now partnered 221 winners in Hong Kong.
Sha Tin’s feature race, the HK$4.075 million Class 1 Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy Handicap over 1600 metres, produced a superb performance from Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Joy. The nine-year-old displayed his trademark finishing speed after finding room in the closing stages before surging clear to defeat Max Que, with Silvery Breeze completing the placings.
The victory confirmed that Beauty Joy remains a force at the highest domestic level despite advancing in age. Connections have also indicated that the veteran gelding is expected to continue racing during the 2026/27 season, although his campaign is likely to be carefully managed.
Champion jockey Zac Purton continued another remarkable season by increasing his tally to 143 winners. He partnered Double Bingo to a narrow success in the Mr Award Handicap before guiding Rising Phoenix to victory in the Class 4 Medic Kingdom Handicap. Purton later completed another winning ride aboard Packing Fighter, who produced one of the most dominant displays of the afternoon in the Class 4 Solar Hei Hei Handicap.
Vincent Ho added another success when Grand Patch captured the Class 4 Pingwu Spark Handicap for trainer Manfred Man. The progressive three-year-old continued his steady development and shapes as one to follow over longer distances next season.
Pierre Ng enjoyed a memorable afternoon with a training double as Green Angel landed the Class 4 Big Profit Handicap before Prestige Always followed up in the Class 4 Victory Marvel Handicap.
Trainer Brett Crawford also saddled two winners. Beauty Missile overcame a difficult draw to claim the Class 5 Miraculous Handicap with a strong late finish, while PI Legend won the Class 3 Joy And Fun Handicap under Karis Teetan.
Teetan completed a riding double after steering Complete Unknown to victory, earning the three-year-old a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million. The final race of the Sha Tin season went to Perfectday, trained by Chris So and ridden by James Orman, who claimed the Class 3 All You Wish Handicap over 1400 metres.
The Sha Tin finale brought the major season honours into clearer focus, with Fownes confirming another trainers’ title and Chau securing the leading homegrown jockey award before attention shifts to Happy Valley for the final meeting of the 2025/26 Hong Kong racing season on Wednesday, 15 July.
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