Caspar Fownes and Hugh Bowman combined for a dominant Happy Valley treble on Wednesday night, continuing a strong start to the season for the formidable duo.

The four-time champion trainer and star Australian rider have now teamed up for five winners from just 11 runners this season after the midweek victories of Sky Song, Noble Pursuit and Rocket Spade.

“Hugh’s my go-to jockey, so he rides most horses if they’re carrying the right weight,” Fownes said. “He’s a great rider and he’s a good man, so it’s nice we’re working well together. I hope it can continue.”

The pair got off the mark on Wednesday when Bowman speared $6.15 shot Sky Song to success in the Class Five Quarry Bay Handicap (1,200m) and followed up with Noble Pursuit, who stamped his authority over his Class Three Central Handicap (1,650m) rivals.

A three-time winner from nine starts last term, Noble Pursuit was waited with at the rear of the field before Bowman made a mid-race move to sit on the heels of the leaders 600m from home.

The Savabeel gelding responded well to the urgings of Bowman to take the lead at the 100m marker and skip clear of his rivals in the closing stages.

“That was quite a strong win, so hopefully he can go on with it,” Fownes said. “He’s a nice horse and we prepared him to give us a big performance first up.

“He’s taken advantage of a good draw, got onto something’s back in the back straight and made up a few lengths over there. We’ll just try to keep the horse healthy and get as many wins as we can. He’s got potential to hopefully get to Class Two this season.”

Fownes and Bowman sealed their treble thanks to Rocket Spade, who broke his duck in Hong Kong at start 25 in the first section of the Class Four Kwun Tong Handicap (1,650m).

The son of Fastnet Rock won the Group One New Zealand Derby (2,400m) during his pre-import career and finally cracked his maiden win in the city after dropping into Class Four company for the first time.

Elsewhere, Mark Newnham shot to the top of the trainers’ championship, with wins to Colonel and Spicy Gold delivering the second-season handler a brace.

Eight-year-old Colonel proved he’s still got plenty to give, going from pillar to post under Matthew Chadwick in the second section of the Class Four North Point Handicap (1,200m).

“You’ve always got your heart in your mouth coming into the last 50m, but he kicked really strongly and he had the race well won with a nice light weight,” said Newnham, who sits on six wins from as many meetings.

Karis Teetan also celebrated a double, saluting with two gallopers who won in completely different fashion.

After Teetan never saw a rival aboard Arthur’s Kingdom in the Class Five Wan Chai Handicap (1,800m), the Mauritian rider flew from the rear of the field in the second section of the Kwun Tong Handicap to snatch victory in the final stride on Winning Steps.

“I actually thought I got there too late,” Teetan said after Winning Steps prevailed by a short head. “But, thank goodness, I got there.”

Chadwick was the other jockey to enjoy a double, landing the Class Three Causeway Bay Handicap (1,000m) aboard Red Elegance to deliver Douglas Whyte a timely success after the trainer endured three near-misses earlier on the card.