Twin Delight wrapped up this season’s Million Challenge midway through the competition’s finale at Happy Valley tonight, Wednesday 1 April, thanks to a front-running victory in the evening’s fifth event, the Class 2 Achievement Handicap (1650m).
That contest was appropriately named as Twin Delight also snared his owner, Peter Law, a HK$750,000 High Achievement Bonus, triggered when a horse wins a Class 2 contest for the first time in Hong Kong prior to reaching age five.
The Happy Valley Million Challenge, which this season commenced on 19 October 2014, awards points to horses that finish in the first four at Happy Valley in Class 3 races and above (1st place 15 points, 2nd place 6 points, 3rd place 4 points, 4th place 3 points).
The Caspar Fownes-trained four-year-old burst fast from the widest gate under Zac Purton, who snagged the lead going into the first turn and was never headed. Twin Delight’s three-quarter length success earned 15 points for a Million Challenge total of 57 points and put him in pole position for the HK$650,000 first prize.
But connections had wait to until after race six before they could celebrate. All Great Friends, with a total of 44.5 points, had topped the leaderboard prior to Twin Delight’s win. A triumph in the Class 2 Acclaim Handicap (1200m) would have nicked a further 15 points and assured the Manfred Man trainee of the Million Challenge title and its accompanying cheque. His unplaced run ended the fight for the top prize.
“It’s a big result and a great night for the owner,” said Fownes after Twin Delight’s Million Challenge victory was confirmed. “That’s HK$855,000 stake money, HK$650,000 for winning the Million Challenge and HK$750,000 for the High Achievement Bonus. The owner’s in Japan tonight but I know he’s very happy.”
Twin Delight’s success in the Million Challenge was a third for Fownes, whose previous wins came with Socrates (2007 – joint-winner) and Ocean Wide (2009).
“He started to pick up half-way through the season and he’s another second season horse that has just needed a few races to know his way and get stronger,” said Fownes of Twin Delight, who notched three wins and two seconds in this season’s Million Challenge. “He came off some good two-year-old form in New Zealand: obviously you get thrown in the deep end off a high rating here, and it takes a while for horses like that to level out and find a mark. He’s done his job!”
Choice Treasure, ran third in race seven, the Class 3 Champagne Handicap, to take his tally to 46 points and claim the second place prize of HK$250,000. The third place cheque of HK$100,000 went to the owner of All Great Friends (44.5 points).
2014/15 Happy Valley Million Challenge Results
| Placing |
Horse |
Points |
Trainer |
Owner |
| 1 |
TWIN DELIGHT |
57 |
Caspar Fownes |
Peter Law Kin Sang |
| 2 |
CHOICE TREASURE |
46 |
Dennis Yip |
Henry Cheng Kar Shun |
| 3 |
ALL GREAT FRIENDS |
44.5 |
Manfred Man |
Chan Kwok Keung |
|
Photo 1:
The Caspar Fownes-trained Twin Delight wins the Achievement Handicap tonight to snare victory in this season��s Happy Valley Million Challenge.
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Photo 2:
Photos 2, 3
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Deputy Chairman Anthony Chow presents the trophy and the HK$650,000 prize cheque to the representative of Peter Law Kin Sang, Owner of the Happy Valley Million Challenge winner Twin Delight.
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Photo 3
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Photo 4:
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Deputy Chairman Anthony Chow presents a silver dish to Caspar Fownes, Trainer of the Happy Valley Million Challenge winner Twin Delight.
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Photo 5:
The Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges presents a HK$250,000 prize cheque to the representative of Henry Cheng Kar Shun, Owner of the Happy Valley Million Challenge first runner-up Choice Treasure.
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Photo 6:
The Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges presents a HK$100,000 prize cheque to Chan Kwok Keung, Owner of the Happy Valley Million Challenge second runner-up All Great Friends.
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Photo 7:
All pose for a group photo upon the successful conclusion of the 2014/15 Happy Valley Million Challenge.
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