Buoyant after a quartet at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (8 April), Joao Moreira has reaffirmed his ambition of piloting Caspar Fownes to a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship as he prepares to take six rides for his ally at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 April).

Moreira and Fownes are slated to combine in six races this weekend with Winning Machine, Tycoon Express, Forza Toro, Flying Luck, Charming Legend and Sky Trust – while Papaya Brose is a standby declared starter in the second section of the Class 4 Hart Handicap (1200m) – as the pair bids to build on an imposing start to their new partnership.

“It was like a dream – we were hoping to have a good start but never expected to have such a good day and I’m extremely happy with that,” Moreira said, reflecting on the midweek victories of Decision Link, Golden Brilliant, Sky Cap and Perfect General as the Fownes stable’s retained jockey.

“(But) it’s not about me, it’s about his (Fownes’) result. I’m only here because he’s been asking for a long time and eventually the Club’s agreed to allow him to bring me back for a short stint.

“We had a good start and all that we are wishing is to keep up a good momentum because it’s a race for the championship among the trainers and I guess him having me here is giving himself a really good chance in regards to that.”

After 61 of 88 meetings, Mark Newnham heads the 2025/26 Hong Kong trainers’ standings with 47 wins – the same number as Fownes – but the Australian leads with more second placings – 36 to Fownes’ 31 – and also has more third placings, 40 to 29.

BMW Hong Kong Derby-winning trainer Newnham has five runners on Sunday – Setanta, Super Dragon, Legend Winner, Quantum Legend and Crimson Flash.

Danny Shum (42), David Hayes (41) and Francis Lui (40) also remain firmly in contention for the championship, with respective entries this weekend of five, 13 and six.

David Eustace is hopeful Colourful King can overcome barrier 12 and top weight of 135lb when the gelding contests the HK$2.84 million Class 2 Pilkem Handicap (1200m) as he prepares for a possible tilt at the HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on 26 April.

One of 11 selected runners for the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, which is headed by the world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising and also features dual Group 1 winner Satono Reve, Colourful King will be ridden this Sunday by Zac Purton.

With three wins over 1000m in Hong Kong after a pair of victories over the same distance in Australia pre-import, Colourful King has been tried four times over 1200m in Hong Kong for two second placings.

“He (Colourful King) is a horse who likes to get back, fill up and breathe and show a nice turn of foot, but that style is difficult to win (with) and things can often not go your way,” Eustace said. “Top weight in Class 2 is not an easy thing to do.

“I hope his best season will be next season and that there’s more to come. We’ve been patient with him for that reason.

“It gets tough when you’re at the top of Class 2 and he’s had one run at Sha Tin over 1200m as a three-year-old and he ran okay (second), but he sort of needs to prove that 1200m at Sha Tin is within his compass – and I think it is. Still, he needs to tick that box. Ultimately, he needs a strong gallop.”

Harry Bentley is confident Smart Golf (132lb) can continue his upward trajectory when the promising sprinter tackles the Class 3 Parkes Handicap (1200m).

“He’s got good gate speed and he’s able to put himself on the front end pretty easily and he’s got that high cruising speed and he’s able to quicken off it as well,” Bentley said.

“I found him very green in his earlier races, and he still had a lot to learn and just when he hit the front, he could prick his ears and have a tendency to look around a little bit, but he’s ironing those creases out and with each run, he’s taking another step forward.

“He’s done nothing wrong so far and he’s given me every reason to believe that Class 2 and above is within his remit.”

Trained by Frankie Lor, Smart Golf jumps from barrier four as he bids to enhance his record of three wins and a third from five starts.

Sha Tin’s 11-race card on Sunday (12 April) starts with the Bowring Plate (1000m) for Griffins at 12.30pm.