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Victory Treasure triumph gives Fownes even more reason to smile

The King Of The Valley, Caspar Fownes was absent on a more important mission last night, but he still managed to snare the night's feature at Happy Valley with Victory Treasure.

Fownes was at the side of his wife, Alix, as she gave birth to the couple's third son last night but his assistant Chris So Wai-yin and jockey Zac Purton deputised admirably as Victory Treasure put himself back into the winner's list in style in the Volunteers' Challenge Cup, 1,800m.'

'It feels great to ride a winner anytime but a win for Caspar on such an important night is a real thrill,' grinned Purton after Victory Treasure notched his first success since October, 2006.

'It has been a while but from gate one, he looked like getting all the favours and that's how it turned out. I just camped on the leader Billion, and when he kicked, I kicked and Victory Treasure had enough to overhaul him.'

It was the ninth win for Purton in the past month, but he begins a two-day suspension now and will miss the next two fixtures.

Also missing two fixtures coming up will be in-form apprentice Keith Yeung Ming-lun who landed Dr Well for Michael Chang Chun-wai early on the card and gave Douglas Whyte a real run for his money in the Jockey Challenge but ultimately had to bow to the Durban Demon.

Stewards later suspended him for two days, beginning after February 11, for interference he caused to Whyte (Hongkong Superstar) in the third race aboard Canonise.

The incident caused a reversal of the second and third placings across the line but it was a clearcut decision for the stewards.

Whyte took the spoils with a winning double, scoring for Peter Ho on Speedy Star (race four) and winding up the night for Alex Wong Yu-on with Mi Reilly.

'Mi Reilly's win doesn't wipe out my disappointment at Hongkong Superstar being so unlucky but it is nice to see him win again,' said Wong. 'The problem with Mi Reilly is that he wants to do everything too quick - he pulls too hard. Personally, I think he is a 1,400m horse but I have just kept him to shorter distances here at Happy Valley for now because he won't relax. Until he settles down there is no way he would make it down the long straight at Sha Tin.'

Speedy Star was having only his third run for the season, but Whyte said Ho had been wise to take his time with the three-year-old.

'I rode him in September when he ran third at Sha Tin and I think it really knackered him. He had a break without racing for several months and there was nothing wrong with him, but he's been very weak and soft and Peter just decided that he needed that time,' Whyte said. 'When he ran again the other week in the 1,200m, he showed that he had come back well and he's handled the step up to 1,650m tonight, so he has certainly strengthened. He got to the front a little early tonight but kept going to win and I think when he strengthens up, the bigger track at Sha Tin will suit him better but just at the moment the Valley was right for him tonight.'

While Whyte and Yeung were battling for minors in the third event, David Hall-trained Bundle O' Gold (Brett Doyle) slipped up along the rail to beat them both and he is another who will be all the better once he learns to relax. 'He's very highly-strung but this won't be the last win if he does relax,' said Hall. 'Brett's only had three rides for me now, all on this horse, but I chose him because I wanted someone who would handle him with real horsemanship and try to get him to switch off.

'At Sha Tin last time out he ran very well from the back, but he was still a bit keen and I hoped that bringing him to the Valley would help to settle him more but it didn't. So this win is something of a bonus in that way, but he has the ability if we can just get him to drop his head.'

Johan Victoire added another Sean Woods winner to his growing list when Juggernaut won his third on end, but the night took a negative turn after he was tipped off Nilometer after the post in race seven - the horse was spooked by an official car on the inside of the track.

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