Only three wins separate the leading trio in the 2025/26 trainers’ championship, and Mark Newnham is hoping to make further ground when he saddles a team of seven at Happy Valley on Wednesday (3 June) as Armor Golden Eagle returns on the one-week back-up.
Caspar Fownes tops the table with 58 wins, while Newnham holds third on 55 following his weekend double, with Danny Shum middling the pair on 56. Francis Lui trails on 50, David Hayes has 49 and John Size rounds out the top six with 46 wins.
Armor Golden Eagle rises in grade for the Class 2 Tai Tam Gap Handicap (1800m) following consecutive wins in Class 3 at the city circuit – the most recent over 1650m on 27 May. The four-year-old bay has won three of his past four starts at Happy Valley.
“He’s in really good form since we switched him to Happy Valley. He’s up to Class 2 but down in weight (from carrying 130lb to 119lb),” Newnham said. “He’s been aided by two really good rides from Zac (Purton) from good barriers (four and three) his last two starts.
“He’s a horse in form and, even though he’s going up in grade, I’d expect he’d run well.”
Karis Teetan is booked to ride the 82-rated gelding from stall six against Helene Feeling (135lb), Soleil Fighter (133lb), Packing Angel (130lb), Californiatotality (129lb), Awesome Fluke (127lb), Silvery Breeze (123lb), Beauty Alliance (121lb), Pocketing (120lb), Joy Of Spring (119lb) and Liveandletlive (119lb).
Newnham also fields Setanta, Exceed The Wish, Same To You, Loving Vibes, Casa Rochester and Power Koepp, who runs in the Class 3 Shouson Hill Handicap (1200m), assigned 120lb as the 63-rated six-time winner seeks his first victory in over a year.
“He’s (Power Koepp) getting down to a rating where he can be competitive,” Newnham said.
Loving Vibes (120lb) takes aim at the Class 4 Cricket Club Valley Stakes Handicap (1200m) after placing second on 27 May, while Exceed The Wish (126lb) returns in the Class 5 Mount Nicholson Handicap (1200m) after finishing third, also seven days ago.
Soleil Fighter has Hugh Bowman and barrier three on his side in the Tai Tam Gap Handicap for Hayes, who said: “He’s won one race this season, but he’s been second and third many times. The 1800 (metres) is his maximum trip, but he will run very well.”
Hayes has Pocketing in the race and is hopeful of an improved effort by the Group 2-winning import from Australia tomorrow night.
“His trial was better. The tactics we adopted last run really didn’t suit him and he ran a poor race, but his trial and trackwork since then has been very good,” Hayes said.
Fownes is on track to set a new record for the most wins in a single season at Happy Valley, requiring one to match the 40 he trained in 2009/10. The ‘King of the Valley’ saddles Family Fortune, Captain Link, The Heir, Dancing Classics and Joy Of Spring.
Frankie Lor is eyeing an improved effort from one-time winner Symbol Of Strength (134lb) in the Shouson Hill Handicap after the gelding misfired last start.
“We tried him on the dirt last start, but he wasn’t very good. He’s much better at Happy Valley, so I’ve brought him back here,” Lor said.
Wednesday’s (3 June) nine-race fixture – the 77th of the 88 scheduled this season – at Happy Valley begins at 6.40pm with the Class 5 Mount Butler Handicap (1650m).