THE WHEELS appear to have temporarily come off the winning-machine stable of trainer Pierre Ng, who – despite still leading the trainers’ championship table by a dozen winners – has been floundering in recent times, and is still waiting for that elusive winner to give him his half-century for the season.
While Ng is having his patience pushed to the limit, trainer Caspar Fownes has quietly but successfully pushed his stable into joint fourth place in the trainers’ table and has been firing in winners left right and centre, with victories at five out of the last six meetings.
His record at Happy Valley this season is phenomenal, with 24 wins to his credit, and an impressive 37 percent win and place record from his raiders at the track.
Fownes is represented in eight of the nine races, spearheaded by speedster ATOMIC FORCE, who gets a realistic chance to win the Kwoon Chung Intercontinental Limousine Handicap (12.10pm) over six furlongs.
With so much early blistering speed in the contest, coming from the likes of Harmony N Blessed, Colourful Emperor and Mega Bonus, this will play into the hands of this renowned strong finisher, who has in-form Harry Bentley in the saddle.
Later on the card, Fownes puts his 10-pound-claiming rider Ellis Wong aboard KAHOLO ANGEL in the Kowloon Chung Bus Cup (1.45pm), a handicap over six furlongs.
Wong and Kaholo Angel have already tasted success together, at Sha Tin back in November and – subsequently, with Zac Purton aboard – the grey went down narrowly to Tomodachi Kokoroe at the Valley the following month.
The winner boosted that form by subsequently winning twice and rising 19 pounds in the official ratings.
POINTERS
Atomic Force 12.10pm Happy Valley
Kaholo Angel 1.45pm Happy Valley