Tag: Caspar Fownes

‘Ho’-megrown Success In the Longines IJC

Jockey Vincent Ho made history Wednesday night at iconic Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island, becoming the first 'homegrown' rider to take out the prestigious Longines International Jockeys' Championship.

With a narrow victory over Zac Purton in the fourth and final leg of the series, Ho amassed a total of 20 points to Purton's 18, with Australia's Rachel King and the locally based South African Lyle Hewitson on 16 points. King was declared outright third, with her victory in the first leg of the competition and an additional third-place finish in the finale trumping Hewitson's three minor placings.

To say it has been an eventful last four months in the life of Vincent Ho would be an understatement of monumental proportions. The 33-year-old graduate of the HKJC's Apprentice Jockeys' School, who is best known for his affiliation with three-time Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), announced his intentions to participate in the Shergar Cup at Ascot in August and was planning on riding at Goodwood as a warm-up as well. But he was seriously injured in a spill in late July when riding on a short-term stint at Niigata in Japan, resulting in a fractured vertebra, whiplash and a pneumothorax on his lung, Asian Racing Report wrote in August.

Despite the severity of the injuries, Ho was back in time for the third meeting of the new season in Hong Kong, only to be suspended in early October for 10 meetings for failing to sufficiently ride out his mount in a dead-heat victory, a penalty later cut to eight while being forced to pay a fine of HK$120,000 in lieu of the two extra dates. He returned to the saddle on Nov. 12 and still managed to book his spot in the IJC, in which he had finished alone in third in 2019 and a joint-third with fellow local rider Derek Leung last year.

But it was King, making her IJC debut, who struck first for Melbourne Cup-winning conditioner David Hall aboard 9-1 outsider Oversubscribed (Aus) (Reward For Effort {Aus}) (video), who–as reported by HKJC commentator Tom Wood–was making his fourth straight appearance in the Class 4 over the 1000 metres.

“He was probably the perfect start to riding here at Happy Valley,” said King, who narrowly missed winning this year's World Series Jockeys at Sapporo. “He's looked after me and did everything for me.”

Speaking after her third placing was confirmed, King added: “I think it was a good first effort. The atmosphere at Happy Valley is unbelievable and I really enjoyed it.”

Ryan Moore, a two-time IJC winner and three times its runner-up, had his best scoring chance in the second leg of the IJC and duly obliged aboard 8-5 favourite M Unicorn (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) for the training King of Happy Valley Caspar Fownes, spearing through from between rivals before proving a slashing winner (video). Moore was himself injured in a fall at Kyoto Nov. 19.

Leading Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton was downplaying his chances for a third IJC in the last four years prior to the event, but put himself into the reckoning with an inspired stalk-and-pounce ride aboard Silver Sonic (Aus) (Exosphere {Aus}) for Golden Sixty's trainer Francis Lui at odds just north of 8-1 (video).

Half of the 12 riders remained in with chances to varying degrees entering the IJC finale over 1200 metres. From an outside alley, Ho kicked the in-form David Hayes-trained Tomodachi Kokoroe (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}) straight into the lead, set a steady pace and just held off Purton's mount Kaholo Angel (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) to secure the victory (video).

The always humble Ho learned he'd won only during the post-race debrief with the HKJC's Nick Child.

“I was not aware [I had won] and I didn't even know about the points, I just kept riding every race to have a winning chance,” said Ho. “I felt the track today favoured the front-runners a little bit so that definitely helped and of course Mr Hayes' team did a great job and helped me win this.

“As the first homegrown of course I received plenty of support here and hopefully it will inspire more kids.”

Ho, whose two HKIR successes came aboard Golden Sixty in the Hong Kong Mile in 2020 and 2021, also rides Senor Toba (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) in the Hong Kong Vase and the progressive Straight Arron (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the Hong Kong Cup, both for former boss Fownes.

Moore's 12 points was good for fifth place, Tom Marquand's best finish was a fourth in leg three and Hollie Doyle posted a pair of fifth-place finishes. Yuga Kawada, James McDonald, Bauyrzhan Murzabayev and Karis Teetan also failed to point.

 

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‘It Could All Happen Again’: Marquand A Live Chance In IJC Title Defence

The Longines International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) is the premier event of its kind in the world, and with good reason, as it brings together 12 of the most-accomplished riders from all corners of the globe vying for the winner's share of the HK$800,000 (£81,120/$102,320) prizemoney on offer.

The IJC, the true start of Longines Hong Kong International Races festivities, takes place annually at iconic Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island, its tight turns and unique configuration offering up additional challenges, especially for jockeys based outside of Hong Kong.

Britain's Tom Marquand is one of four previous IJC winners in the mix Wednesday evening, joining Ryan Moore, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan, and looks to record his second victory in the event. The 25-year-old reinsman, whose wife Hollie Doyle finished on the IJC podium in 2020 (third) and again in 2021 (second) and also takes her chances this time around, is looking forward to perhaps winning the title outright, after sharing the spoils with Silvestre de Sousa 12 months ago.

“Last year was a bit turbulent but it's fantastic to be back,” said Marquand, who just last month won his first Breeders' Cup race in his first ride aboard Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the Grade I Juvenile Turf Sprint. “It was great to win with Silvestre. You'd always rather win it on your own, but it's better to take it home with someone else than not at all.

“It looks like I've got a good enough book of rides that if things fall right it could all happen again, but it's a tough evening of racing and it's highly competitive.”

Marquand has two of his rides in the four-race competition for trainer Caspar Fownes, who has posted more wins at Happy Valley than any other trainer, and one each for Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro)'s conditioner Francis Lui and Ricky Yiu. The latter sends out top-weighted and 79-rated Splendid Living (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the third leg–carded as race seven–a Class 3 (80-60) over the 1650 metres. The 6-year-old gelding has a record of 4-3-1 from 10 runs over course and distance, but will need his best with the big weight and a tricky draw in 10.

Doyle is one of two females in the field and is joined British transplant and now Australian-based Rachel King. The 33-year-old showed that she could mix it with foreign riders in Japan's World All-Stars Jockeys, going down by a point to Mirai Iwata.

“Last time I was here I went and watched some races at Happy Valley, I'd just ridden in an amateur ladies' flat race in Macau,” King said.” So, it's been a bit of a journey to where I am now.

“I'm really looking forward to it, hopefully I'll have a few decent rides in there as well. Zac (Purton) was giving me a few little pointers, there are plenty of good people to learn from. I'll just try to get as much information as I can.”

Kazakhstan-born Bauyrzhan Murzabayev also makes his first IJC appearance off a strong season in France, during which he rode 60 winners–including 12 in black-type competition–for the legendary Andre Fabre. Like Marquand and Doyle, the four-time German and three-time Czech champion, jets in from Japan, where he is riding on a short-term contract for the second straight season.

“I am very lucky to have spent a year riding for Andre Fabre, who for me is a great trainer,” says Murzabayev. “I learned a lot from him and it was a good experience.

“I think I learn new tracks and places pretty quickly. But if somebody had told me 10 years ago 'you will be riding in all these top races,' I'm not sure I would have believed them.”

Also participating are Moore, James McDonald, Mickael Barzalona and Yuga Kawada from overseas, while Lyle Hewitson and Vincent Ho join Purton and Teetan in representing Hong Kong.

The IJC begins with the evening's fourth race at Happy Valley at 8.10pm local time (12.10pm GMT, 7.10am US Eastern Time). Click here for the race card.

 

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Morny Runner-Up Trident Sold To Hong Kong

Trident (Fr) Wootton Bassett {GB}), runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny for Andre Fabre and the Coolmore partners, has been sold to continue his career in Hong Kong.

Bloodstock agent Jamie Piggott, who brokered the deal, told TDN, “We bought him for a seven-figure sum for Mr Ho and he will go to Caspar Fownes. Coolmore were brilliant to deal with. The horse is now in Newmarket and starts his quarantine on 10 February.”

Bred by trainer David Smaga and Marie-Benedicte Fougy, Trident was a €140,000 yearling at the Arqana Select Sale of 2020. He won on debut at ParisLongchamp over 1,300 metres, and went straight to stakes company for his next start, finishing third in the G3 Prix Cabourg in Deauville. A fortnight later he put in his best run to date when runner-up to Perfect Power (Ire) in the Morny, with his final start of the campaign also marking his first start outside France. At Newmarket he finished second to subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games (Ire) in the G3 Tattersalls S.

Piggott continued, “It's a nice opportunity to be able to fulfil an order for the third-highest-rated 2-year-old in France. He has the size and scope to win in Hong Kong and he has a wonderful temperament. Andre Fabre has done a great job with him. Given his size, to do what he's done at two, coming second to the likes of Modern Games, is quite something.”

The agent, who also rides out regularly in Newmarket, added, “He's at Longholes in Newmarket now until he goes into quarantine for Hong Kong. I've been riding him everyday there and he's a lovely, big rangey horse. 

“I have a fair few connections in Hong Kong. It's a shame we can't get over there at the moment, but I think there is a resurgence in interest in European bloodstock there, and long may it last.”

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Sky Field Wins Hong Kong Sprint Marred By Four-Horse Spill; Two Runners Euthanized

Caspar Fownes and Blake Shinn were left with conflicting emotions after Sky Field steamed to success in the HK$24 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), fending off world-class opposition from Japan to continue Hong Kong's dominance in the event.

Shinn, 34, slotted his first G1 triumph in Hong Kong but the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey's thoughts – and those also of Fownes – were with Pixie Knight (Yuichi Fukunaga), Lucky Patch (Zac Purton), Naboo Attack (Karis Teetan), and Amazing Star (Lyle Hewitson), who fell on the home turn.

Shinn and Sky Field avoided the incident before staving off Resistencia (Christophe Soumillon) by three-quarters of a length in 1:08.66. Courier Wonder (Joao Moreira) was third, one and a half lengths from the winner.

Shinn's faith in Sky Field, a son of Deep Field, was rewarded on the highest stage and came three seasons into the Australian's Hong Kong stint.

“I have mixed emotions for winning this race today. Obviously, the first emotion is that my feelings are with the fallen jockeys and horses out there,” said the quietly-spoken Australian said.

“It's gut-wrenching for any rider to see a horse go down. What's happened today, it's a real bittersweet win and in a way, it's a hard win to take in the circumstances.

“All credit to Caspar Fownes, he's given me the opportunity to ride this lovely animal over the previous season and this season.

“We've always had faith in him but on the big stage, things haven't always gone this way. Today, he performed to his best today and still beat a handy horse in chasing down a top-line horse in Courier Wonder and the Japanese horse (Resistencia).

“He's a great horse and hopefully he can keep going forward.”

Fownes, 54, has built a strong alliance with Shinn, who struggled initially to cope with the demands of Hong Kong racing.

The reigning champion Hong Kong trainer, Fownes posted his third HKIR victory with Sky Field joining 2006 Hong Kong Mile winner The Duke and 2011 Hong Kong Sprint victor Lucky Nine on the stable's honour roll.

“Definitely watching the run live, it was nasty and we've got mixed emotions there,” Fownes said. “One hand, you've got a horse that is trucking along; at the same time, in your mind, you're thinking about 'I hope the boys are alright and the horses'.

“It was nice to get that result with that particular horse, especially for Blake – he's been riding really well and again today another good performance, so well deserved.

“I've said it for a while that he's (Sky Field) pretty special and I think he's got his best racing ahead of him. We've got something really nice to work with and it's nice to see him do that today”

Soumillon, who finished third in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) on Ebaiyra, had to be content with another minor placing at the highest level.

“The filly (Resistencia) ran well. Unfortunately, we had a bad movement in the turn. I had to shift in to run away from the fallen horses,” the Belgian champion said.

“The winner pushed me out in the straight. She gave me a very good effort. It nearly looks a bit short for her today. I think over 1400m, she will be even better.”

Ryan Moore, who piloted Hot King Prawn into an honourable fourth, said: “My horse ran respectably. Maybe he might be happy going longer now.”

Damian Lane, who rode Computer Patch into sixth place, said: “He tried hard, he had a little bit of pressure early but travelled well mid-race. He just couldn't quite sprint with the winner at the end.”

(Editor's note: according to media reports, Amazing Star, who was the first to fall, and one of the trailing horses, Naboo Attack, were euthanized. Lucky Patch and Pixie Knight apparently escaped serious injury. Jockeys Zac Purton, Lyle Hewitson and Yuichi Fukunaga were taken to a nearby hospital and reported to be in stable condition. Karis Teetan rode later races on the card and was uninjured.)

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