Hong Kong’s hottest trainer hopes the galloper who has placed the most times without winning this year rewards his owners with his first victory in 22 months at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Caspar Fownes has saddled six winners in April – one more than Douglas Whyte – and Victory Scholars is one of the King of the Valley’s half a dozen runners across the nine-race card at the city circuit.
Victory Scholars, who lines up under weekend winner Alfred Chan Ka-hei in Wednesday’s second section of the Class Four Mong Kok Handicap (1,200m), has placed five times without winning in 2023 – one time more than both Amazing Victory and Moduleconstruction.
Fownes – who leads this season’s Happy Valley win count with 23 victories, one more than Francis Lui Kin-wai – is pleased with the steady progress Victory Scholars has made since the serial placegetter joined him from David Hall in August. However, he wants Victory Scholars to stop placing and start winning, ideally as soon as this week.
“When I got him, he was a cripple. He’s got a lot of issues. At least I’ve got him racing well, earning money and paying his way. He deserves to get a winning photo because he’s been very consistent without nailing one. Hopefully, he’ll get the job done for us on Wednesday,” Fownes said of Victory Scholars, whose 20-start career has produced seven seconds and four thirds but only one triumph.
“He’s a heavy, jointy horse – he weighs about 1,250 pounds – but I’ve got him comfortable, he’s racing well and I just hope he gets that win for his connections. They’ve been happy with the way he’s been racing, but you always want to get that winning result. Everyone loves the old lead-in photos.”
The jockey Fownes hopes poses for happy snaps aboard Victory Scholars on Wednesday is Chan, who heads to Happy Valley after substituting for Jerry Chau Chun-lok on War Of Courage at Sha Tin on Sunday and registering his fourth success this term.
“Alfie rides Victory Scholars in the morning. Angus [Chung Yik-lai] was going to ride him again, but Tony [Cruz] wanted him to ride his horse in the race, so I’ve put Alfie on to give him a chance,” Fownes said.
Hugh Bowman partners three of the six Fownes-trained runners at Wednesday’s meeting, with the Australian rider taking over from Chan aboard Daily Beauty, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu aboard June Planet and Luke Currie aboard Perfect To Great.
Bowman has ridden four winners for Fownes this season – two before his Christmas Eve race fall from the handler’s ill-fated Fast Pace and two since.
Bowman sticks with Courier Wonder in G1, leaving Flaming Rib ride for Marquand
Karis Teetan steers maiden galloper Handsome Guys for Fownes in Wednesday’s Class Five Jordan Handicap (1,200m), while Currie rides last-start winner Kokushi Musou for the trainer in the Class Three Ho Man Tin Handicap (1,200m) after Alexis Badel chose to stick with Namjong Sings in the same sprint race.
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