Caspar Fownes reinforced his standing as the "King of the Valley" by training a record 46 winners at Happy Valley last season, and the five-time champion has carried that form into the new campaign.
Fownes has saddled at least one winner at all five Happy Valley meetings this season, and progressive four-year-old Love Together gets his chance to extend that run on Wednesday.
Love Together steps up to Class 2 for the first time in Race 6, the Longines Cup (1,000m), where he will carry just 115 pounds under Alexis Badel after shouldering 135 pounds at his previous start.
The son of Capitalist won twice from nine starts as a three-year-old last season and returned as a well-backed $3.40 chance on Sept. 16, finishing a close third behind stablemate Dancing Classics after making considerable ground from near the rear.
Badel has drawn barrier four this time, while topweight Bottomuptogether carries 135 pounds under Zac Purton from gate 10 after finishing third in the Group 3 National Day Cup. Last-start Class 3 winner Horsepower also steps up in grade, carrying 118 pounds from barrier six.
Wednesday presents the first opportunity to see whether Love Together can reproduce his form against stronger opposition.
“If they’re running really well consistently with heavy weights in a lower class, especially Class 3 to Class 2, then most of them can do it, from my experience,” Fownes said.
Love Together has climbed to a rating of 80 after his promising first season, and his trainer is already considering what other distances might suit the gelding.
He won over the straight 1,000 meters at Sha Tin in June, but Fownes also pointed towards the bend at the same track when discussing a possible move up to 1,200 meters.
“He’s got a lot of upside,” Fownes said.
His straight-course form also prompted a question about a future tilt at the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1,000m) at Sha Tin on Jan. 10.
“No,” he said when asked about a potential Group 3 appearance. “He’d be out of the ratings. He needs to come out and win, then it’s different.”
Seven of Fownes' nine winners this season have come at Happy Valley from 36 runners, compared to just two victories from 45 at Sha Tin.
Fownes secured his fifth trainers' championship last season with 69 winners and is looking to build on that success as he begins another title defense.
“Feeling very good this season. Very happy. Lots of new horses, lots of fresh blood in the stables. So yeah, looking forward to it. Should be a nice season again,” Fownes said.
