Caspar Fownes reclaimed the lead in a rollercoaster battle for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (27 May) with a double as Joao Moreira slotted a treble, while Zac Purton needs only one more winner to reach 2,000 wins in Hong Kong.

Fownes’ (56 wins) wrested back the lead in an engrossing battle for the trainers’ championship with a brace, edging ahead of Danny Shum (56) with more minor placings – 38 seconds to 34. Mark Newnham is next with 53 wins from Francis Lui (50), David Hayes (49) and John Size (46).

On a night where many expected Purton to reach the 2,000-victory milestone, the Australian champion rode a winner, two seconds, a third and a fourth from eight rides as Moreira took riding honours.

The Brazilian triumphed aboard Fownes pair Audacious Pursuit (133lb) in the Class 4 Rhine Handicap (1650m) and Elegant Life (122lb) in the second section of the Class 4 Ciron Handicap (1200m) and also Cody Mo’s Lucky McQueen (126lb) in the first section of the Class 4 Ciron Handicap (1200m).

Moreira said: “It’s a good feeling. I got on some nice horses today. I believed it was meant to be (winning) because they got good gates. I’m so happy to be getting opportunities and to be getting them up.”

Moreira returned to Hong Kong and started his stint as a stable retained jockey for Fownes in a spectacular blaze with a quartet at Happy Valley on 8 April.

Fownes praised Moreira’s ride on Audacious Pursuit: “It was perfection by Joao to get him on the rail and save the ground. When you just win by a small margin, that’s everything really, it’s what you need. You need good rides, good draws, and the rest takes care of itself.

“It’s why I said Hong Kong racing is so exciting. We’re trying our best, that’s for sure.”

Newnham’s Armor Golden Eagle (130lb) delivered Purton’s 121st victory of the season with success in the Class 3 Sauternes’s Cup Handicap (1650m), delighting the trainer.

“He was in the ideal spot. It was a carbon copy of last start, really, just in the right spot – they put them away well. He’s a good improving horse,” Newnham said.

“The last two meetings, we’ve had a frustrating run of placings. The horses are racing very well. Tonight, we started with two thirds and a second, and now a winner, so horses are racing well. They’ll get their chance when they draw well and things go right in the run.”

Apprentice Britney Wong, 27, landed her first Happy Valley victory and gave Tony Cruz a double when Son Pak Fu (128lb) surged along the inside to clinch the Class 3 Seine Handicap (1200m) by a short head from Gummy Gummy (121lb).

With 28 wins at Sha Tin across the past two seasons, Wong ended an exasperating run of minor placings at the city circuit with Son Pak Fu’s victory over former Benno Yung stablemate Gummy Gummy.

“I am very glad and before this win I had ridden eight seconds here already, so we were that close but not winning,” Wong said. “I’m very happy that we got the win today and I’m very grateful for Tony’s support and it’s such a great honour to be riding winners for him – and to get my first winner here at Happy Valley.”

Wong’s breakthrough capped a strong night for Cruz, who also produced Superb Capitalist (131lb) with his seventh win at Happy Valley with a brilliant late surge to take the Class 3 Garonne Handicap (1000m) under Angus Chung.

Jerry Chau boosted his hopes of a first Tony Cruz Award as the leading homegrown jockey when Me Tsui’s Basic Instinct (127lb) – who had not finished in the top four in 15 previous starts – broke through in the Class 5 Dordogne Handicap (1200m).

Karis Teetan combined with Rosewood Fleetwood (127lb) to land the Class 5 Loire Handicap (2200m) to give Ricky Yiu his 1,099th Hong Kong win, while Manfred Man’s strong season continued with Bright Day’s (127lb) victory under a measured Derek Leung ride in the third section of the Class 4 Ciron Handicap (1200m).

Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (31 May) with a Group 3 double-header – the Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) and the Lion Rock Trophy Handicap (1600m).

By Leo Schlink

Photo: HKJC