Caspar Fownes hopes to build on impressive early-season momentum when Dancing Code contests the Class 2 Yan Chai Trophy Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 October) when the impressive last-start winner faces the sternest test of a blossoming career.
A dual winner over 1200m at Happy Valley, Dancing Code graduates in class and distance against quality opposition as four-time Hong Kong champion trainer Fownes bids to add to his tally this season of 10 wins and 13 minor placings from 64 runners.
“Dancing Code is a nice horse, I think he’s going to appreciate the step up to 1400m at Sha Tin now. He’s done well for us in the handful of starts that he’s had and obviously now we’re up in class and when you get to Class 2 in Hong Kong, it’s pretty serious,” Fownes said.
“You’ve got horses like The Golden Scenery, Find My Love and Supreme Lucky – all nice, up and coming horses that are in good, current form – but so is my guy. He presents well and the step up with extra furlong, he’ll eat that up.
“He’s the type of horse who could probably get up to a mile, but this is a nice race to step him up into and we’re going to see if he can handle the class rise and if he does, we’re going to have a bit of fun with him. He’s really well and he looks a treat. Obviously, it’s going to be tough to win that type of race but we’ll certainly be there doing our best.”
Dancing Code (123lb) will start from barrier eight under Vincent Ho in a HK$2,840,000 contest headed by Keefy (135lb), The Golden Scenery (134lb) and Sauvestre (131lb).