With just five meetings left this season, Caspar Fownes looks well placed to secure a fifth trainers’ championship after extending his lead in June, while it was a forgettable month for a host of jockeys and trainers.

For the final time this term, the SCMP analyses the jockeys and trainers who had a month to remember or one to forget, as well as the most outstanding victory and winning ride.

Who’s hot?

Zac Purton was once again the most successful rider of the month, bagging 11 wins at a strike rate of 19.6 per cent, but his former fierce rival Joao Moreira was close behind on nine wins with a stronger strike rate of 21.9 per cent.

It was also a productive month for Karis Teetan, who recorded eight wins with Saturday’s Sha Tin treble the highlight.

Cody Mo Wai-kit continued his excellent finish to the season, replicating last month’s haul of eight wins to be the most successful trainer in June.

Fownes was close behind on seven and will be hard to catch in the championship, holding a five-win lead over nearest rival Danny Shum Chap-shing. David Eustace also had a positive return in June with six wins.

Who’s not?

Seven of the 24 jockeys on the current roster failed to register a triumph in June. Keith Yeung Ming-lun carries the biggest winless streak of 73 rides into July, closely followed by Matthew Chadwick (72) and Lyle Hewitson (70).

Matthew Poon Ming-fai, Richard Kingscote, Dylan Mo Hin-tung and Ellis Wong Chi-wang were also winless for the month, though Mo and Wong had limited opportunities.

It was also a forgettable month for Frankie Lor Fu-chuen and Michael Chang Chun-wai, with both trainers failing to produce a winner. They carry winless streaks of 49 and 55 runners respectively into July.

Win of the month

At nine years old, Beauty Joy achieved a remarkable feat by successfully defending his Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m) crown.

The evergreen Tony Cruz-trained gelding notched his first win of the season, putting retirement plans on hold in the process after a masterclass ride by Joao Moreira propelled him to victory.

After settling midfield on the rail, Beauty Joy was taken off the inside approaching the turn and Moreira speared him through a gap between runners just before the 300m.

He hit the front 150m out and kept on strongly to beat the fast-finishing Light Years Charm by half a length, becoming the first nine-year-old to win a Hong Kong Group race in 15 years.

Ride of the month

Jerry Chau Chun-lok backed up his ride of the month on Without Compare in March with another flawless performance on the Shum-trained galloper on June 3.

Set a tough task from barrier 11 at the Valley, Without Compare landed midfield on the rail after Chau expertly fired him forward shortly after the start.

Chau took the Australian import off the inside before the turn and switched back to the inside of the leader Stormi’s heels early in the straight to launch his run.

He lifted when it mattered most to beat Stormi by a nose in a thrilling finish. Moreira deserves an honourable mention for his winning ride on Beauty Joy in the Premier Plate.