The Hong Kong racing season has entered its final six weeks, with the closing stages set to decide not only individual race honours but also one of the most closely fought trainers’ championships in recent years. With momentum shifting almost weekly, the title fight remains finely balanced as the campaign heads towards its conclusion on 15 July.
Hong Kong trainers championship
At the centre of attention is the ongoing Hong Kong trainers championship 2025/26, where the margin at the top continues to tighten as pressure builds across the leading yards.
The contest is led by Caspar Fownes on 60 wins, closely followed by Danny Shum on 57 and Mark Newnham on 56, while Francis Lui (50) and David Hayes (49) remain within reach if results fall their way in the final meetings. Further back, John Size sits on 47 victories after a solitary success at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, leaving the veteran handler with a steep challenge to extend his remarkable record.
Few would dismiss John Size outright, but the numbers now suggest the task has become significantly demanding. With just 11 meetings remaining, he is 13 wins adrift of the leader, and time is running short to mount a serious late surge in the Hong Kong trainers championship 2025/26.
Luck, or the lack of it, has played a notable role in his season. At Sha Tin last Sunday, Size collected four second-place finishes, including three in succession to close the card, continuing a frustrating pattern that has seen his runners finish runners-up 61 times this term — more than any of his closest rivals.
By comparison, Newnham has recorded 49 seconds, while Fownes (38) and Shum (37) have experienced fewer near-misses, highlighting how consistently close Size has come without always converting opportunities into victories.
His broader placing statistics underline the same story of competitiveness without sufficient reward, with 53 third-place finishes, second only to Francis Lui’s 59.
At the summit, Caspar Fownes continues to set the pace with 60 wins, maintaining a narrow but crucial advantage. He will look to strengthen his position this weekend with several interesting runners, including Sky Deep, who returns after an extended break when lining up in a Class 4 contest over 1200m.
Hot on his heels, Danny Shum remains firmly in contention on 57 wins. His weekend book includes Lightness Of Music, who will attempt to capitalise on a favourable draw in a competitive sprint contest, as Shum seeks to sustain his challenge in the Hong Kong trainers championship 2025/26.
Meanwhile, Mark Newnham sits just one win further back on 56. With a smaller team lined up this week, his chances may depend heavily on efficiency rather than volume as the season enters its decisive phase.
Behind the leading trio, both Francis Lui and David Hayes remain mathematically in the hunt, though both require a strong run of results to close the gap.
Lui, on 50 wins, will look to horses such as Hot Delight and Thunder Kit to deliver timely performances, while Hayes — on 49 wins — will need his sizeable team to begin firing more consistently if he is to remain a factor in the closing weeks.
Attention now turns to Sha Tin, where another pivotal weekend could reshape the standings once again. The density of competition across all six leading yards ensures that even small swings in form could have major implications in the Hong Kong trainers championship 2025/26.
For Size, the focus will be on converting recent placings into victories, with Fit For Beauty and Meepmeep among those showing encouraging recent form. However, across the board, every leading trainer appears to have runners capable of influencing the final outcome, ensuring no clear advantage heading into the weekend.
With time running out, consistency, timing, and a touch of fortune will all play their part in deciding the destination of the championship. While Fownes holds the advantage, the margins remain tight enough to keep both Shum and Newnham firmly in contention, while Lui and Hayes continue to apply pressure from just behind.
The closing weeks promise a compelling conclusion to a season defined by fine margins, competitive depth, and relentless pressure at the top of the training ranks.
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