Oops. When will I learn that it is not all over until it is all over? This time I'm talking about the Hong Kong trainers' premiership that, on Wednesday night, was won by Caspar Fownes with 68 wins to Australian John Moore's 65.

To quote from this site on May 6: "Darren Beadman will ride for fellow Australian John Moore in Hong Kong again next season after helping Moore to this season's training title.

"thethoroughbred.com.au is not jumping the gun ... despite there being 14 meetings until this season's last, on July 1 - Moore, with a lead of 11, is certain to win the premiership from another Australian, last year's winner John Size."

At the time it was a logical conclusion to draw. But, remember Stainvita? The 8-11 favourite was so far ahead coming up the straight in the Kambrook Handicap at Sandown in Melbourne on July 22, 1978, that the race was as good as over ... until he put his foot in a hole, fell and broke his shoulder, and was put down. Jockey Roy Higgins also hurt his shoulder. Fortunately, Roy recovered and is still going strong, aged 71.

None of Moore's strong stable put its foot in a hole in Hong Kong, but the trainer's run appeared to stop as quickly as Stainvita. Moore had led by as much as 18 - and would have been shorter than Stainvita in running - but was overrun by the rampaging Fownes, who had 25 wins in the final month.

Fownes collected his second title in three seasons, prevented Moore from winning his sixth (and first since 1995), and relegated last year's winner Size to third spot with 61 wins - Australian Size has won the crown in five of his eight seasons in Hong Kong.

Moore trained two winners at the last meeting, at Sha Tin, but Fownes had three. Size, who went into the meeting with a faint chance and what looked like the strongest hand of the contenders, had none.

Fownes, 41, took over from his father Lawrie in 2004 after 18 years as his assistant. Moore, 59, who took over in 1985 after assisting his father, the former great jockey George Moore, was philosophical about his fadeout: "Regardless of the championship, this is my best season ever - six Group Ones and we'll fall only a couple of hundred thousand short of $HK100 million (almost $Au20 million) in stake money and Viva Pataca (the stable's star) has won Horse Of the Year," he told Alan Aitken of the South China Morning Post. 

Aitken also must have been tempted to go the early crow, because he wrote: "Historically, Moore was home and hosed as the championship, as always, displayed a very strong 'lead bias'."

Moore's $HK100m season put him well clear of the chasing pack, headed by Size ($HK63m) and Fownes ($HK56m), thanks largely to the rich Group 1 wins of Viva Pataca, Collection, Inspiration and Dim Sum. Moore's winners-to-runners ratio was better, too - he had 457 starters, Size 456 and Fownes 548.

The other Australian training in Hong Kong, David Hall, had 27 winners in his fifth season for $HK28m in stakes.

South African Douglas Whyte won his ninth championship - 96 wins and $HK80m - with only Australian Brett Prebble (79, $HK65m) anywhere near him.

Zac Purton, who rode successfully in Queensland and NSW before going to Hong Kong in 2006, finished strongly to be third on 43 wins, for $HK37m in stakes. Last year he was 11^th with 29 and $HK22m.

Boom first-year apprentice Matthew Chadwick, a local who rode in Queensland only last year, was fourth, also on 43 wins and with $HK31m. Australia's champion Darren Beadman was fifth (41, $HK65m) despite missing many meetings because of injury and suspension.

Other Australians (or with ties to Australia) who rode for part of the season were: James Winks 10 wins, $HK9.6m; Jeff Lloyd (the South African who rode in Sydney and intends to settle there after finishing in Hong Kong) 9, $HK8m; and Western Australia's young champion William Pike 0, with four seconds in 31 rides over the final four meetings, and $HK0.8m. All the Australians will return next season, starting September 13.

Next season's title tips? No more early crowing; ask late, very late, next June. In the meantime, Moore talks extensively of his plans in the winter edition of The Thoroughbred magazine, which will be out soon and can be read online at thethoroughbred.com.au from the middle of the month.

NOTE: Jockeys and trainers earn about nine per cent of stake money in Hong Kong, with the $Au worth about $HK5.