Bidding for a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship, Caspar Fownes tightened his grip on the 2025/26 title after teaming with Joao Moreira at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (24 June) to secure a five-win buffer as Cody Mo took training honours with a treble.

With only six meetings left in the season, Fownes (64 wins) leads Danny Shum (59), Mark Newnham (58), Francis Lui (54) and David Hayes (52) after Moreira piloted Sky Cap (120lb) to victory in the Class 3 Des Voeux Road Central Handicap (1000m) with a copybook ride.

Since returning to Hong Kong as Fownes’ retained jockey, four-time Hong Kong champion jockey Moreira has racked up 24 wins – 21 for Fownes – including Sky Cap, who earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.

“It’s (every win) getting crucial at this stage. I’m very happy for the owners (Kwan Yui Man), they’re one of my biggest supporters, the whole (Kwan) family. They’re the most beautiful people to train for – they let me do my job and never hassle me,” Fownes said.

“I’m so happy to get the win for them and on top of that, to get the first win bonus, which is great. The horse has done a good job for us. We dropped the horse back to 1000m and I said to Joao just give him a chance to just get in behind the speed – one out, one back. That was the winning move. He just lasted so I’m very happy.”

Mo slotted a three-timer with Flying Fortune, Meowth and Jumbo Treasure to continue his rise through the trainers’ ranks. With 20 wins in his first season and 40 in his second campaign, Mo has tallied 45 wins so far in 2025/26.

“I’m very happy with the three wins,” Mo said after Jumbo Treasure (129lb) sprinted hard late to land the Class 3 Leighton Road Handicap (1200m) to give Derek Leung a double.

“We freshened him up and we had a good barrier (one) and he got a good run. The freshen up worked.”

Mo combined with Vincent Ho to snare the second section of the Class 4 Morrison Hill Road Handicap (1650m) with Flying Fortune (131lb) before teaming with Luke Ferraris and Meowth (131lb) to win the Class 4 Racing World 50th Anniversary Cup Handicap (1200m).

“It was a really good win, he had shown he was coming back into form and he pulled the right gate (barrier four) and the right race with a nice amount of speed and he got into a lovely spot,” Ferraris said.

“He did it really confidently, so well done to Cody and his team, they turned him out in great order today.”

Ferraris closed the card impressively with a measured ride on David Eustace’s Definitive (132lb) to topple Romantic Gladiator (128lb) and Fivefortwo (132lb) in the Class 3 King’s Road Handicap (1650m).

Rosewood Fleetfoot (133lb) made it two course and distance victories in a row with a tough staying performance to clinch the Class 5 Ice House Street Handicap (2200m) for Ricky Yiu and Karis Teetan before All Are Mine (123lb) steamed home to land the Class 5 Westlands Road Handicap (1650m) under Alexis Badel to continue Brett Crawford’s excellent debut season in Hong Kong, delivering the trainer’s 23rd winner.

Manfred Man fired in a double when Blossomy (129lb) made it two wins from his past three starts when he ran on solidly to wear down Charming Legend (134lb) and snare the first section of the Class 4 Morrison Hill Road Handicap (1650m) as Danica’s Choice (130lb) broke through in the first section of the Class 4 Connaught Road Central Handicap (1200m) for Hugh Bowman.

Formerly known as Mallister when trained by Annabelle Johnson in New Zealand, Danica’s Choice surged powerfully late to down Cloud Nine (126lb).

“I told the owner I was confident he (Danica’s Choice) had a chance because last time, he was close. This time, I was just worried about the draw, but he still won,” Man said.

Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Saturday (27 June).

By Leo Schlink

Photo HKJC