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Must-win race for Fownes-trained Sky Heart

When Caspar Fownes makes a statement some may consider bold on one of his talented horses on the rise, it pays to listen more often than not. “He’s one that I believe has a chance to make it to triple figures and I don’t normally get them wrong when I say something’s going to hit a mark. If he’s going to do that, he’s still got over 20 points to go,” Fownes said. The galloper Fownes is referring to is Sky Heart, who can stake his claim on a late Hong Kong Derby (2000m) berth when he tackles Sunday’s Class 2 Carpenter Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin. An impressive two-time winner in his first campaign last season, Sky Heart has bounced back from a fetlock injury in July and colic surgery in August to make a late bid for the city’s most prestigious race. After a close fourth and a second on his first two starts this term, the Ardrossan gelding returned to the winners’ list with a fighting performance over 1,600m on February 16. “He’s had a lot of problems, so I just hope everything is smooth from now on and he can show us what he really is capable of,” Fownes said. “I’m looking forward to him stepping up in distance and up in class, but down in weight. The extra furlong looks good and it’s going to be interesting.” Sky Heart drops 5kg to carry 52.5kg on his first test at Class 2 level, with lightweight jockey Lyle Hewitson booked to ride him for the first time. Rated 76, he is one of five four-year-olds in the Carpenter Handicap bidding to boost their rating to clinch a Derby start on March 23. Fownes boasts another of them in Lo Rider, who has had a luckless start to his Hong Kong career. The former Irish galloper has been held up for clear running at crucial stages, blew the start badly second up and was then hampered by a three-horse fall that left a trio of jockeys injured. He finally had a smooth passage last start but fell a neck short when second to Steps Ahead, who has since run a solid fifth in the Classic Cup (1,800m). “I’ve got another horse in the race called Lo Rider and I hope this rain sticks around because then it’ll be interesting to see how he can perform as well,” Fownes said of the galloper, who won on soft-to-heavy and yielding ground in Ireland. “He ran enormous last start but I thought the track was pretty firm that day. He’s probably a two-length better horse on a track with a bit of give. “My two horses are going to get points because they are out of the handicap and one of them is going to carry two points overweight. We’ll make sure we get the points.” Karis Teetan will ride Lo Rider, who is rated 75. Cambridge, Markwin and Bundle Award are the other Derby hopefuls in the Carpenter Handicap, which also features several older horses in strong form. Helene Feeling bids to carry his Happy Valley form to Sha Tin, having won the Group Three January Cup (1,800m) before a pair of placings at the city circuit. Encountered is a course and distance winner, Mr Ascendency won at the Valley two starts ago, C P Brave is a three-time course and distance winner and Winning Dragon comes off a second in the Group 3 Centenary Vase (1800m) and fourth in the Group 1 Gold Cup (2000m). - South China Morning Post

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