Ellis Wong lands Happy Valley double as Caspar Fownes shines

By Leo Schlink

Ellis Wong continued a blazing run of form to take Happy Valley riding honours with a double on Wednesday night (4 June) as he posted one of the most significant wins of his fledging career on Kaholo Angel, a horse who has played a pivotal role in the apprentice’s development.

Maintaining the form which saw him slot five wins in May, Wong struck with Ricky Yiu-trained Mega Bonus in the second section of the Class 4 Wong Nai Chung Gap Handicap (1200m) before partnering Kaholo Angel to victory in the Class 2 Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1200m) for Caspar Fownes.

“I’m very happy to win for Caspar, my boss, and especially to win on Kaholo Angel because he was the first horse I rode in Hong Kong,” Wong, 24, said. “I improve with this horse and this horse improves with me, too – we are good together. I’m so happy to win on him.”

Wong has ridden Kaholo Angel to four of his six wins and the gelding’s latest success delivered a PPG Bonus of HK$1 million and propelled Fownes into fourth place in the 2024/25 Hong Kong trainers’ championship with 45 wins behind John Size (60), David Hayes (54) and Yiu (48).

Fownes said: “Lovely ride – he’s (Wong) ridden beautifully all night, the kid. He’s come a long way. He’s doing well and I’m sure everyone’s going to want a piece of him now. Lovely to get that result with the horse. When you get up to Class 2 in Hong Kong, it’s very tough and that looked a proper field. But Ellis gave him a lovely ride and thankfully he got it done.”

Able to claim seven pounds, Wong has 17 wins for the season.

Matthew Poon edged closer to a string of career goals after Keefy’s rejuvenation continued with victory in the Class 3 Violet Hill Handicap (1650m) for Frankie Lor.

Keefy’s fifth Hong Kong win – and second in a row – shunted Poon to 36 wins for the season, five clear of Matthew Chadwick (31) in the race for the Tony Cruz Award as the leading homegrown jockey and closer to a season-best haul in Hong Kong.

Poon, 31, is not only targeting the Tony Cruz Award but also hopes to eclipse his previous best haul of 37 wins in 2020/21 and is determined not to lose focus with 11 meetings left in the season.

“I can’t think about other people, I can only think about myself and staying focused over the last 11 meetings,” Poon said. “Hopefully I can win more than 38 races first and then we’ll try to get 40 and even more but for now I’m just staying focused and concentrated.”

Elated by Keefy’s effort to run down Highland Rahy under 135lb, Poon said: “Of course, the barrier helped a lot and also I can follow one of the best horses in the field (Highland Rahy) and we had a good run.

“He just got every benefit tonight and I am so happy he could win again because he’s not a young horse but Frankie has kept him in good condition.”

Golden Darci struck for the second time for Douglas Whyte with victory in the Class 4 Cricket Club Valley Stakes Handicap (1200m) under Keagan De Melo, who ended a 38-ride winless streak with a superb display.

“He trialled well at Conghua and Dougie was kind enough to give me the ride and drawing barrier one was really a help and I was able to get close without using him,” De Melo said after notching his 10th win for the season. “These conditions really suited him and he quickened through the line really nicely.

“Things are slowly starting to pick up. There’s been a couple of suspensions along the way but nice to get a win and I’m really grateful for the support I get.”

S J Tourbillon ended a 728-day drought with victory in the Class 4 Mount Nicholson Handicap (1800m), triumphing for Dennis Yip and Karis Teetan.

Formerly known as Roman Empire when trained by Aidan O’Brien, the Galileo gelding revelled in the rain-affected conditions to score his first win since June, 2023, having slipped in the ratings from 84 to a mark of 44.

“Dennis said the horse was in good shape and that the track should help him,” Teetan said after snapping a 39-ride winless streak. “The only thing he said was to get him out of the gates and get him into a good rhythm and I must say he let down nicely.”

Fownes also teamed with Andrea Atzeni to snare the Class 3 Tai Tam Gap Handicap (1800m) with Joy Of Spring as the Deep Field gelding posted his third 1800m win in Hong Kong – two at Happy Valley, the other at Sha Tin.

Danny Shum and Harry Bentley combined successfully with three-year-old colt Wrote A New Page in the Class 4 Shouson Hill Handicap (1650m) before Hayes cut Size’s lead in the trainers’ championship to six with Storm Rider’s victory in the Class 3 Stanley Gap Handicap (1200m).

Manfred Man’s Leather Master proved too strong under Alexis Badel in the Class 5 Mount Butler Handicap (2200m). Well supported in betting, the Iffraaj gelding made it two wins from three starts.

Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin with the start of the Summer Series and the first of the season’s twilight meetings on Sunday (8 June).