Caspar Fownes starts bid for back-to-back titles with Happy Valley double as Vincent Ho slots treble

Caspar Fownes launched his bid for back-to-back trainers’ championships with a double at the first Happy Valley meeting of the season on Wednesday night courtesy of Jumbo Blessing and No Other Choice.

Living up to his moniker as ‘the King of the Valley’, Fownes struck with $49.9 outsider No Other Choice in the second section of the Class Five Admiralty Handicap (1,200m) before Jumbo Blessing justified his handler’s confidence with a strong victory first up without a trial.

Despite starting...