The Hong Kong racing season has entered its decisive final phase, with the championship race among trainers developing into one of the most closely watched narratives of the campaign. With meetings steadily running out before the curtain falls on 15 July, every winner now carries added weight in a contest that has swung back and forth for months.
Hong Kong trainers championship
The standings reflect just how tightly packed the leading contenders remain, with momentum shifting almost weekly as the season edges towards its conclusion.
Australian handler Mark Newnham has been at the heart of the contest for much of the year, holding top spot on several occasions before slipping into third in the latest reckoning. His tally stands at 53 winners from 75 meetings, a strong return that still keeps him within touching distance of the leaders.
At the summit, both Caspar Fownes and Danny Shum are locked together on 56 wins apiece, setting up a compelling duel for supremacy. Just behind them, the pursuit remains relentless, with Francis Lui on 50, David Hayes on 49, and John Size on 46 ensuring the pressure at the top never eases.
For Newnham, consistency has been the hallmark of his season, though he admits the depth of firepower across rival yards has made sustaining a title challenge increasingly demanding as the campaign wears on.
“I think I’ll probably run out of bullets before the end of the season,” he said candidly, reflecting on the demands of managing a large and evolving stable. “I’ve got a lot of new horses that have arrived, so I’ve probably got less horses to race.”
Despite the competitive strain, his approach has remained measured. Newnham has resisted any temptation to alter his methods in pursuit of silverware, preferring instead to focus on long-term development.
“I’ll just train them exactly the same way I have all season. If that gets me enough to win it, that would be great, but it hasn’t really been my focus,” he added. “Any season that you train more than 50 winners you’ve had a very good year.”
While not dismissing his chances entirely, the third-season Hong Kong trainer believes the foundations of his stable are still being laid, suggesting that sustained success may come with time rather than immediate acceleration.
“To win a title has been a goal of mine before I came here,” he said, acknowledging the prestige attached to the achievement. “But I think having a team for a few more seasons gives you a better spread of horses. To win the title you’ve got to be pretty much able to put a horse in every race every week.”
He pointed to the current composition of his yard, noting a limited number of Class 5 runners available for the remaining fixtures, which could prove significant as the final programme unfolds.
Even so, Newnham’s season has already featured notable highlights, including Classic success in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and Group 1 glory in the FWD Champions Mile (1600m) with My Wish, underlining the quality he is capable of producing on the biggest days.
Looking ahead, he is set to send out eight runners at Sha Tin this Sunday (31 May), as the trainers’ championship continues to ebb and flow across the closing weeks of the season.
The Hong Kong trainers championship standings 2025/26 season remain finely poised, with each meeting now capable of reshaping the leaderboard as the campaign enters its closing stages.
The battle has been widely described within racing circles as one of the most competitive in recent memory, with several trainers still firmly in contention as the final weeks approach.
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