Hong Kong Review: Fownes wins Champion Trainer

Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club

Fownes wins fifth Trainer’s Championship

Despite not having a winner on Sunday at Sha Tin, Caspar Fownes’ season tally of 69 victories is enough to claim his fifth Trainer’s Premiership victory. The Hong Kong season is set to conclude with a nine race card at Happy Valley on Wednesday, and second-placed Danny Shum has only five runners entered. Shum is currently five wins behind Fownes on the table and Fownes has more placings, so even if all the Shum runners won, Fownes would win on a countback.

“It’s massive, very relieved, happy – lots of love to my family for pushing me with this one. It’s special. It means a lot to me,” Fownes told hkjc.com.

“It’s been hammer and tong the whole way and I’m looking forward to next season already – that’s how we roll.”

His runners have earned over HK$83 million (AU$15.2 million) this season, while Shum’s runners have earned the most prizemoney of all the trainers on the table at HK$138 million (AU$25.3 million). Fownes’ other titles came in 2006/07, 2008/09, 2013/14 and 2020/21.

Chau and Purton claim jockey titles

Zac Purton has been leading the Jockey’s Premiership for most of the season and took his season to 143 wins with a treble on Double Bingo (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), Rising Phoenix (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and Packing Fighter (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). This season is the ninth time he’s won the Champion Jockey title, and he was also voted the Most Popular Jockey by race fans.

Jerry Chau claimed the Tony Cruz Award for leading homegrown jockey with a 10-win buffer over Vincent Ho.

“It’s amazing and it’s a dream come true. I’ve been waiting for this for six years,” Chau said.

“I really appreciate everyone who has been supporting me. I want to give all of the credit to them, and my fiancé, she has helped me a lot and fixed any of my problems, so I can focus on the track.”

Beauty Joy to race on next season

Tony Cruz-trained 9-year-old gelding Beauty Joy (Sebring) will race on next season as a 10-year-old after winning on Sunday night. Coming off a victory in the G3 Premier Plate last start, Beauty Joy made it two in succession and a career tally of 13 wins from 61 starts with earnings over HK$42 million (AU$7.7 million). He won his first four starts in Australia when named Talladega including the Listed JC Roberts Stakes in WA.

“He’ll race again next season but maybe not for the whole season,” Cruz said.

“It might be half a season or a quarter of a season, but the owners (Eleanor and Patrick Kwok) are happy for him to keep going.”

Jockey Hugh Bowman was thrilled with the victory too. “I’ve ridden him a lot. He was the first good horse that I rode when I moved to Hong Kong and I’ve ridden him many times and he’s been a really solid horse, not only for me but the entire organisation,” Bowman said.

“I’m really, really chuffed to win on him because it’s the first time I’ve won on him. I’ve run second in a Group 1, I’ve had other placings in Group 1s but he just lacks that killer punch at that level at the set weights.

“He’s just a really, really good horse and I’m delighted to win on him.”

Beauty Joy is one of three winners for G3 West Australian Oaks winner Impressive Jeuney (Jeune {GB}) who won six times and was placed in the G1 Kingstown Town Classic. Her last foal is a yearling colt by Aysar.

Trio of promising 3-year-olds

The 11-race card saw victories by a trio of promising 3-year-olds who head into next season’s 4-Year-Old Series. Vincent Ho scored on Manfred Man-trained Grand Patch (Hellbent) with the 3-year-old being touted as one to watch for next season.

“He’s a nice horse and he will keep improving. Last time he came third and today the extra distance was good for him and he improved from that run. Next season, 1400 metres to 1600 metres will be ideal for him. Vincent rode the perfect race,” Man said.

A trial winner in New Zealand, Grand Patch was winning his maiden at his fourth attempt. He was sold three times as a young horse, first by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale for $75,000, then by Wentwood Grange at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$120,000, then by Pertab Racing at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for NZ$150,000 to KM Yeung. Grand Patch is a half-brother to Listed winner Champ Elect (Choisir).

Pierre Ng trained a double with Prestige Always (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) and 3-year-old gelding Green Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}) who came off three ordinary runs to win his maiden. Sold by Willow Park Stud at Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $140,000 to Midori Racing, he is one of five winners out of Jactina (Commands) who is a winning full sister to Group 3 winner Posadas.

Cody Mo-trained Complete Unknown (Flying Artie) earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million (AU$275,000) in winning his first Hong Kong race. He was a winner at Bendigo before being exported to Hong Kong. He is the first foal of unraced Cavalry Rock (Fastnet Rock) who is a daughter of Group 3 winner Cavalry Rose (Charge Forward).

Deep Field leads Hong Kong table by winners

Acclamation (GB), thanks in large part to Romantic Warrior (Ire) who was the joint Horse of the Year with Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), looks likely to win the Champion Sire title in Hong Kong for this season. Acclamation has had six runners for three individual winners, with Romantic Warrior earning HK$74 million (AU$13.6 million) of Acclamation’s HK$77.2 million (AU$14.2 million) for the term.

With nine races to go, Deep Field heads the Hong Kong Sires’ Premiership by number of winners with 21 individual horses winning 33 races. His season progeny tally of HK$75 million (AU$13.8 million) puts him in second place on the Premiership by earnings. Voyage Bubble is his highest earner for the season.

Capitalist and Starspangledbanner both sit on 15 individual winners for the season with one nine-race meeting to go. Toronado (Ire) and All Too Hard both have 13 individual winners, while Zoustar and Charm Spirit (Ire) both have 10.