12/03/2026
Caspar Fownes says βgood luckβ to championship rivals after extending lead with Happy Valley treble
Four-time premiership-winning handler declares heβs the one to chase down after three-timer at city circuit
Caspar Fownes extended his already significant lead in the trainersβ championship to five wins by replicating last weeks effort to score a treble at Happy Valley last night.
The three-timer boosted Fownesβ tally to 42 for the season, with nearest rival David Hayes on 37, as he chases a fifth championship success.
βIβm happy, all I can do is present my horse well and you need a lot of luck in this game. I know how to win a championship, thatβs one thing I can tell you; Iβve got my game face on and Iβll be doing my best. I know my target and Iβm just trying to have fun along the way,β said Fownes.
Fownes again staked his claim as the handler to chase down after winning with Elegant Life, Golden Brilliant and Somelovefromabove on Wednesday night.
βThere will be a lot of guys with a lot of winners coming up. Everyone has got a chance β everyone has a full stable and you just have to keep knocking them in. If you get a quiet patch, itβs very easy for someone to catch up,β Fownes said.
βYou can never write off John [Size] β heβs always capable of a spate of winners in a short period as heβs done so many times in his career. Youβve got David [Hayes], Francis [Lui Kin-wai], Danny [Shum Chap-shing] and Mark [Newnham]; thereβs so many in with a chance but they have to chase me, so Iβll say good luck!β
Fownes kicked off the card with a winner courtesy of Elegant Life, who was guided to victory by Luke Ferraris in the Class Five Conduit Handicap (1,000m).
Ferraris gave the son of Smart Missile a sensational steer, helping him overcome barrier nine and top weight of 135lb to win by one and a quarter lengths. The five-year-old gelding appreciated the drop in class and distance on this occasion, and will take plenty of benefit from the win going forward according to Fownes.
βItβs just nice to get the win into him and hopefully heβll go with it now and be competitive in Class Four. Heβs taken to the track quite nicely and I donβt think heβs a one-trick pony; heβll step up in distance as well to good effect,β Fownes said.
Alexis Badel guided Golden Brilliant to a tough victory in the first section of the Class Four Hatton Handicap (1,650m). A mid-race move from Badel to push closer to the speed at the bend proved to be a winning one, providing the ideal set-up for the son of Sweynesse to hold off the swoopers to win by a nose from Star Elegance.
βHeβs just immature, which is why I gave him a bit of a freshen up to try and nurse him along. Heβs got the job done and heβs the type of horse who I think will start to thrive in 12 months; heβll get better as he gets older,β said Fownes.
James Orman notched a double that included sealing the treble for Fownes with a dominant victory aboard Somelovefromabove in the first section of the Class Four Breezy Handicap (1,200m), with the son of Lonhro securing back-to-back wins at the course and distance.
βWeβve always had a lot of time for him. Last start he finally showed he was capable of something quite nice and I just said to Jimmy, βthereβs a lot of pace in here so just hopefully roll with them β if you lead, then great but otherwise go to plan Bβ. It was a good ride and the horse has done it nicely,β said Fownes.
Metro Power brought up Ormanβs second win when saluting in the Class Three Bonham Handicap (1,200m) for David Hayes.
Wednesday nightβs feature went to Size and Dylan Browne McMonagle, who combined with Sight Hermoso to claim the Class Three Craigengower Cricket Club Challenge Cup (1,200m).
βItβs his first start here today, he got a little bit excited before the race but heβs normally like that and it didnβt worry his performance. I think he adapted to the track very well,β said Size.
βHeβs an honest racehorse, heβs going to have a good record. Heβs probably going to go further, he probably will finish in Class Two β and heβs a lovely horse to have around.β
Fallon finished the night by ending China Winβs last-minute bid for a Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) berth, chasing him down by a neck in the Class Three Lyttelton Handicap (1,800m).
