12-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Fownes wishes injured Ho well on way to treble: ‘we love you buddy'
Trainer gets the chocolates with Daily Trophy, Charming Steed and Capital Delight at Sha Tin on Wednesday night
by Sam Agars on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 11:21 PM Caspar Fownes enjoys his treble with son Ronan. Photo: Kenneth Chan
Caspar Fownes sent his love to the injured Vincent Ho Chak-yiu while reeling off a treble at Sha Tin on Wednesday night.
Fownes got the chocolates with Daily Trophy, Charming Steed and Capital Delight, with his former apprentice never far from his thoughts during the midweek all-weather meeting.
'Obviously Vincent was supposed to ride [Charming Steed]. Vincent if you're watching, we love you buddy. Get well soon,' said Fownes.
Ho, who is in hospital recovering from the head injury and minor shoulder and neck fractures he suffered in a nasty fall at Sha Tin on Sunday, would have also been aboard Capital Delight, but it was Brenton Avdulla who speared the galloper to victory in the evening's feature – the Class Two Tin Chak Handicap (1,200m). — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 12, 2025
'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,' Fownes said.
'He's quite versatile – 1,200m up to 1,650m – and it was nice to see him just win on the line. We were lucky but we're very happy.'
After Daily Trophy snared the first section of the Class Four Kam Shan Handicap (1,200m) under Harry Bentley, Keagan de Melo made the most of his opportunity aboard Charming Steed in the Class Four Silvermine Bay Handicap (1,800m).
'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 of the South African jockey, who moved to six winners for the campaign.
Ho was one of four jockeys injured on the weekend – Zac Purton, Angus Chung Yik-lai and Keith Yeung Ming-lun are also sidelined – and there was more chaos at Sha Tin on Wednesday night, with Britney Wong Po-ni and Alexis Badel hitting the deck in the opening strides of the Charming Steed race.
Wong appeared to slide straight off the back of $16 chance Snowalot on jumping, while All Are Mine ($14) bounded on jumping then knuckled, sending Badel flying into the dirt.
Both jockeys walked away unscathed and both horses were declared runners.
David Hayes was the other trainer to enjoy multiple successes on the evening, saluting with Falcon Court and Precision Goal to move to 30 winners and the top of the trainers' premiership.
'I'm very happy with my team, my mafoos, my riding boys – they're doing a great job,' Hayes said. 'At the moment, we're winning with older horses. The Ferraris start running soon.'
While the evening didn't end on a positive note for Fownes, with M Unicorn scratched after bursting through the gates, Dylan Mo Hin-tung was ecstatic after piloting Frankie Lor Fu-chuen's Never Peter Out to his third straight success.
