Musou can give Fownes reason to dance after tough season

IT IS good to see reigning champion trainer Caspar Fownes finishing the season on a high.

The popular handler hasn’t found it easy this campaign, with plenty of his gallopers starting off too high in the handicap and many of his newcomers needing more experience and time to acclimatize.

There have obviously been some highs, notably Sky Field winning the Group One HK Sprint on International Day back in December and Senor Toba winning the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup early last month, but with only 41 winners to his name it must still be considered an ordinary campaign.

However, after three wins in the past week, Fownes will be confident about doing his trademark post-race victory jig again, and his prospects look bright today, with runners in all eight races.

KOKUSHI MUSOU, having drawn the inside stall number in division one of the Rumsey Handicap (1.15pm) over six furlongs, looks his best chance of success, despite not firing when unplaced at Sha Tin 10 days ago.

On that occasion, the New Zealand-bred four-year-old found himself without cover for most of the journey after coming from a wide draw and was allowed to come home in his own time.

Previously he had finished strongly from another uncompromising wide draw when fourth to one of today’s rivals, Island Shine, over the course and distance last month, and now meets the winner on considerably better terms.

Having already won from a similar draw earlier in the season and previously placed behind smart sprinter Lucky Sweynesse in February, his chance looks obvious, with in-form Hero Star probably his principle threat.

POINTERS

Kokushi Musou        1.15pm          Happy Valley