Caspar Fownes has already claimed the 2025-26 trainers’ championship but still has bullets left to fire at the Happy Valley season finale, including Sky Deep in the Class Four Sweet Orange Handicap (1,650m).

Fownes took out his fifth title on Sunday at Sha Tin with 69 wins for the season, giving him an unassailable lead of five over Danny Shum Chap-shing ahead of Wednesday night’s final meeting.

The champion trainer sends out six chances at the city circuit, with five of them to be ridden by stable jockey Joao Moreira.

“It felt great, geez it was a long season, but glad we got it over the line, so very happy,” Fownes said.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow night, I thought I had some nice chances going into the meeting.”

While Sky Deep has only been lightly raced this term due to arthroscopic surgery to both knees that kept him sidelined for three months, Fownes has been pleased with his return to racing at his three starts since May and will have him ready to peak on Wednesday night with a good draw in gate three.

“He was first standby for the race on the weekend [at Sha Tin], and now he goes to the Valley for the first time, which could be quite fun for him because he’s a bit of a character,” Fownes said.

“He’s had three in a row at Sha Tin there, so his fitness is really good and I’ve just ticked him over with double-round canters and swimming in between that, just to get him to this race. I’m very happy with the way he looks and hopefully he’ll give us a nice race at Happy Valley for the first time.

“He’s naturally a good beginner, so we’ll just take advantage of the draw and just see where he ends up, he’ll be in the first four or five you would think.”

Somelovefromabove has been given a freshen up and had three trials between runs ahead of the Class Three Encountered Handicap (1,650m). The Lonhro gelding will break from barrier one when he seeks his fourth win of the season, this time with a step up in trip and pacifiers removed.

“He’s been good, he’s had a nice freshen-up, a couple of trials, and he goes to the mile – which he’s run at before but didn’t do much, but we’ve always felt he can sort of get this distance so he gets his chance from gate one tomorrow,” Fownes said.

“He doesn’t need any [gear], before he was a little bit immature and now he looks good, so hopefully he’ll give us a good effort.”

The ultra-consistent Pejibaye has put together a solid record since being transferred to the Fownes stable and eyes his second win for the season in the second section of the Class Four Star Shine Handicap (1,200m).

Last start saw the four-year-old make contact with the front of the starting gates as the start was being effected. As a result, he was slow to begin and finished at the back of the field.

“Last run he buckled at the same time the gates opened. If he’d gone out of the gate where he’s on speed, he definitely would have been a good chance last start, but once that mistake happened that was him done,” Fownes said.

“He’s very, very honest – since I’ve had him he’s had one win and three seconds, he’s been a very consistent horse. I think going back to the Valley from gate four, he’ll get his chance to perform well.”

Noble Pursuit steps back up to 1,800m in the Class Four Turin Warrior Handicap with Ellis Wong Chi-wang in the saddle, with the advantage of barrier one.

“He’s racing really well without getting the win. He’s had a couple of mistakes in the races, which have cost him the win. You would think now from gate one he should get his chance to hopefully get the win for the season because he’s been consistent without getting that win,” Fownes said.

I Am Back returns for the first time since December in the first section of the Class Four Fast Most Furious Handicap (1,200m), with Fownes looking forward to seeing the four-year-old son of Deep Field step out after taking some time to furnish.

“He’s a nice horse. He was weak, so we’ve given him time to develop and he looks really well. He’s strong and solid now, his coat looks good, so hopefully he’ll perform well. He looks like a nice type of horse that should hopefully have something to show in the class he’s in,” Fownes said.

Perfect Triumph makes his Happy Valley debut when stepping out in the third section of the Class Four Super Oasis Handicap (1,200m), with Fownes looking to give the three-year-old exposure to the city circuit.

“He’s drawn 10, so he’ll just go back. Another one that’s quite immature, but the track might just help him to close off,” Fownes said.

“Sometimes the Valley can just bring them on for a race, and we’ve just been racing him as he needs more experience and just to harden him up a bit, so hopefully that’ll help him.”