By Michael Cox
For the third time this season, Cantopop icon Aaron Kwok had Sha Tin’s post-race presentation area looking more like a star-studded red carpet event.
Hundreds of fans crammed up against the railings around the presentation area, clutching smartphones and clamoring for a glimpse of the singer, actor and all-around superstar, after Kwok’s horse Dancing Code won The Philip Chen Trophy (1,200 meters).
Dancing Code had endured an unlucky run of outs since a win on January 1 and trainer Caspar Fownes’ son Ronan told The Standard that it was Kwok’s true passion for the sport – as well as his celebrity status – that made him a special owner to train for.
“He is very patient. Aaron loves his racing and horses,” Fownes said as Kwok held court for the local racing media for more than ten minutes. “Even the time he spends with the local media is great for the sport and shows how much Aaron cares for it and is committed to it.
“Aaron has a genuine passion for horse racing and that shows in the way he speaks but also in how much patience and understanding he has shown with this horse, who had a lot of frustrating set-backs. Now we are getting the rewards for that patience.”
Kwok also won a race with Dancing Classics earlier this season and has a long association with the Fownes family, dating back to a chance meeting between the trainer and singer on a flight to London.
The 59-year-old heartthrob has now owned five horses, all of them winners, dating back to his first winner, Calling With Love, in 2012.
All four of Dancing Code’s wins in Hong Kong have been at 1,200m but Fownes said he hasn’t given up on the horse breaking through at 1,400m after two consecutive seconds at the trip.
“Those seconds were against Light Years Charm, who won next start, and Packing Hermod, who was then a close third as favorite in a Group 3 and who looks a nice horse going forward,” the trainer’s son said. “Both of those horses are rated 100 or more now so it is solid form.”
