Race for the Trainers’ Championship: Size matters in battle for the championship

The Hong Kong racing season has entered its final six weeks, and while there’s plenty on the line between now and the end of the concluding meeting on 15 July, it’s the battle royale for the trainers’ championship that looks most likely to go the distance.

But while current leader Caspar Fownes (60 wins), Danny Shum (57) and Mark Newnham (56) have been in strong form of late and Francis Lui (50) and David Hayes (49) are clinging on, one must now wonder if master trainer John Size’s bid for a record-extending 14th title has reached the end of the road.

Sitting on 47 successes after one win at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, Size now sits 13 victories from the lead with only 11 meetings remaining in the campaign. Only a fool would write him off completely, but it does look like a tall order from here.

Things could have been different if Size had enjoyed just a little more luck at Sha Tin last Sunday and throughout the 2025/26 season in general.

Needing winners to breathe life into his title push, Size endured four seconds last Sunday – including runner-up finishes in the final three races on the card – to continue a campaign that has seen him find one horse too good a remarkable 61 times.

That’s 12 more seconds than the next unluckiest trainer – Mark Newnham on 49 – while Fownes (38) and Shum (37) have experienced considerably fewer runner-up results than Size.

On top of that, Size has had more thirds – 53 – than anyone but Lui (59).

Looking ahead to Sha Tin this weekend, however, Size looks just about as likely as anyone in the top six to have an impact, with last-start third-placegetter Fit For Beauty and recent winner Meepmeep among his eight runners.

Much like Size, Hayes and Lui are at risk of falling by the wayside if they don’t strike soon and often.

While there doesn’t look to be a standout among Hayes’ 10-strong hand, Lui will be hoping for big showings from Hot Delight in the Class 2 Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap (1200m) and last-start winner Thunder Kit in the Class 3 HKU Jockey Club Tower Handicap (1400m).

At the top end of the tussle, Fownes saddles up the interesting Sky Deep, who races for the first time since his win in March last year in the Class 4 HKU Faculties Of Dentistry And Social Sciences Handicap (1200m) while Newnham has just two runners and Shum’s book looks only fair.

Lightness Of Music is one horse Shum will be hoping can produce a good performance from the favourable barrier 12 in the Class 3 HKU Foundation Handicap (1000m).

Trainers’ Ranking (Top 6) – As of 4 June, 2026