The battle for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship continued to intensify at Sha Tin’s all-dirt meeting on Wednesday night as David Hayes moved to the top of the standings with a double and Caspar Fownes took overall honours with a treble.
Hayes vaulted into the championship lead with the wins of Precision Goal and Falcon Court, leaving the dual Hong Kong champion trainer with 30 wins – one clear of Danny Shum (29) and Pierre Ng (29) – while Fownes moved into ninth place with the victories of Daily Trophy, Charming Steed and Capital Delight.
Emphasising the tight nature of the contest for the trainers’ championship, Hayes, Shum and Ng are closely followed by John Size (27), Ricky Yiu (26), Mark Newnham (26), Francis Lui (25), Frankie Lor (24), Fownes (24), Cody Mo (23) and Tony Cruz (21).
“I’m very happy with my team, my mafoos, my riding boys – they’re doing a great job,” Hayes said after teaming with Luke Ferraris to land the Class 4 Po Shek Wu Handicap (1650m) with Precision Goal. “At the moment, we’re winning with older horses. The Ferraris start running soon.”
Hayes also successfully linked with Karis Teetan ahead of the Mauritian’s ride on Ka Ying Rising in the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on February 23 as the pair landed the first section of the Class 5 Diamond Hill Handicap (1200m) with Falcon Court.
“Karis is a top-four jockey in Hong Kong, he’s won trials on Ka Ying Rising and he’s won a race on him, so it was a very easy decision,” Hayes said, referring to Teetan’s booking as a replacement for injured Zac Purton on the champion sprinter.
“Karis has helped me in trials, so the stable wanted to help him. He’s already been rewarded now – one ride for one win.”
Fownes fired in a race-to-race double with the victories of Daily Trophy and Charming Steed before adding to his haul with Capital Delight, who clinched the Class 2 Tin Chak Handicap (1200m) with a last-stride lunge under Brenton Avdulla.
“He’s been a very nice horse for the stable. He’s won at Happy Valley and he’s got a particular liking for the dirt. He’s quite versatile – 1200m up to 1650m – and it was nice to see him just win on the line. We were lucky but we’re very happy,” Fownes said of his stable’s most successful meeting since the Happy Valley fixture on 30 October.
Daily Trophy scored his third course and distance victory with a barnstorming finish under Harry Bentley in the first section of the Class 4 Kam Shan Handicap (1200m) before Keagan De Melo – substituting for injured Vincent Ho – drove Charming Steed to success in the Class 4 Silvermine Bay Handicap (1800m).
“I asked Keagan if he was available and I gave him a chance. He rode a beautiful race so hopefully he can get some more support and some more winners,” Fownes said.
Teetan completed a brace when David Eustace’s Fortune Warrior bolted in with the second section of the Class 4 Kam Shan Handicap (1200m).
“Before the race when I took him down to the start, I could feel he was ready. He was in top condition – all credit to David,” said Teetan, who eased down Fortune Warrior – a son of Swiss Ace – over the last 100m.
12-time Hong Kong champion trainer Size struck with Must Go under Andrea Atzeni in the Class 3 Shui Chuen O Handicap (1200m) as the All Too Hard gelding earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million. Formerly trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes in Australia, Must Go collected his third course and distance win at Sha Tin.
Dylan Mo slotted his third win of the season as Never Peter Out made it three in a row by winning the Class 3 Green Island Handicap (1650m). By Grunt, Never Peter Out has thrived since being switched to the dirt by Frankie Lor, winning four of his past six starts.
Hong Kong International Sale graduate Patch Of Watch broke through for his first victory, scoring in the second section of the Class 5 Diamond Hill Handicap (1200m) for Manfred Man and Britney Wong, who scored her ninth Hong Kong win with a well-judged front-running ride.
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