Life at the Valley a Blessing for Fownes
WITH the weather set fair in Hong Kong, racing enthusiasts can look forward to an exciting nine-race programme at Happy Valley on Wednesday, beginning at 11.40am.
Trainer Caspar Fownes has welcomed seven winners into the winners’ circle in the past fortnight, and the stable is slowly but surely taking a stranglehold on the champion trainers’ title race.
Fownes now finds himself four wins in front of nearest pursuers Mark Newnham and Danny Shum, with just 10 race-meetings of the season remaining.
With plenty of ammunition to fire in the final five weeks, and the stable currently in top-form, the popular Australian trainer must be dreaming of collecting his fifth championship trophy.
Fownes is the proclaimed King of the Valley, and it is easy to see why. The stable has sent out 41 of their 61 victories at the city track this season and presently have a staggering 36% win and place record at the Valley from 216 runners this campaign.
The temporary partnership of Joao Moreira as stable jockey has also played a huge part in the success of the stable. The Magic Man has ridden nine winners in the past fortnight and has added 19 victories to Fownes’ tally since joining the stable back in December.
Fownes is represented by seven gallopers on Wednesday’s card and spearheaded by recent course and distance winner ELEGANT LIFE in division two of the six-furlong Stanley Handicap (2.10pm).
The son of Smart Missile was hugely impressive a fortnight ago, when leaving runner-up Dan Attack toiling in the closing stages, winning by over two lengths with the third-placed horse a further five lengths back.
Despite an eight-pound penalty, he is up against similar company he met last time and with another favourable inside gate in three, he is set for a similar journey.
The likes of front-running Superb King, the consistent New Power and the speedy Live Wire are worth including in forecast wagers, but it will be disappointing if Elegant Life does not successful follow up his latest success.
Earlier on the card, stable companion JUMBO BLESSING is worth supporting in the five-furlong Tsim Sha Tsui Handicap (1.10pm).
The Australian import and son of Starspangledbanner has always been highly regarded in the Fownes camp since he arrived in his new home in May of last year but has taken plenty of time to acclimatize to his new surroundings.
After just a handful of runs so far, he produced his best performance to date when a close-up fourth over the straight five furlongs at Sha Tin at the end of last month.
Having been at the forefront from the off, he only gave way in the closing stages against a couple of potential smart newcomers.
With that recent experience behind him, he is likely to be at his peak now, and granted a trouble-free journey he will be hard to beat.