CASPAR Fownes yesterday deprived John Size of an eighth Hong Kong trainers premiership in a dramatic finale to the Hong Kong season. Size began the Sha Tin meeting with a one win lead over Fownes, who swept to the front on the back of three winners in the first five races.
Not to be outdone, Size clawed his way back with a winner in the eighth race to be within one win going into the final event on the 11-race card.
Size drew level on 62 wins with Fownes when his horse Wonderful Moment won the last race, but the title went to Fownes on a count back of seconds.
As well as training a treble yesterday, Fownes also posted three seconds, which lifted his season tally of seconds to 59, one more than Size!
It was a stunning comeback by Fownes who trailed Size by 15 wins as recently as April.
John Moore trained a double to take his season’s tally to 56, good enough for third in an absorbing premiership battle.