10-point rise for Pejibaye after big win

Caspar Fownes is never shy about cheering home a winner, his cries of "Come on, boy!" down the straight usually followed by whistles when the job is done.

Sunday was no different as Pejibaye, once considered for retirement, led throughout to win by 4½ lengths in class-record time on Sha Tin's all-weather track.

Fownes was in fine form afterwards, thanking the Jockey Club vets for removing bone fragments from both of Pejibaye's knees during the summer.

"We always felt this horse had ability. That's why, when the owner was thinking, 'Should I retire him?', I said, 'No, don't retire him. Let's do the surgery.'"

He also slipped in a deadpan request to the handicappers.

"So hopefully now we go to Class 3 with a five-pound penalty, and hopefully he'll be very strong next time in Class 3 as well."

Fownes finished by thanking everyone involved, himself included. His five-pound joke appeared to go over some reporters' heads, however, and was subsequently used out of context by the Jockey Club's press team. And Monday’s ratings reassessment confirmed what Fownes knew all along, as Pejibaye was handed a 10-point rise.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓