The first Group 1 race of the year always marks a special place in the Hong Kong racing calendar and the staging of the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (21 January) will be no exception with the appearance of a number of our elite horses.
CALIFORNIA SPANGLE and RUSSIAN EMPEROR are already proven at the highest level with Group 1 victories but there are several progressive horses in this weekend’s field including VOYAGE BUBBLE, STRAIGHT ARRON and BEAUTY ETERNAL who, sooner or later, could join the most select club in racing.
Unfortunately, GOLDEN SIXTY is not running this weekend because of a minor leg issue and, as a 10-time Group 1 winner and twice successful in the Stewards’ Cup, our great champion’s absence will be keenly felt.
I would like to wish Francis Lui all the best as he manages GOLDEN SIXTY through the latest phase of what has been a phenomenal, record-breaking career and hope that he makes a full recovery and that, all being well, a tilt at the FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on 26 April is a possibility.
Either way, I have every confidence that Francis and GOLDEN SIXTY’s owner Mr Stanley Chan will continue to prioritise the horse’s interests.
At Sha Tin on Sunday, the Stewards’ Cup is carded as Race 7 and run over 1600m at 4.05pm, with prizemoney of HK$13 million.
Small fields can become tactical affairs but the pace should be good and with CALIFORNIA SPANGLE drawn ideally in gate two and back to set weights, Hugh Bowman should elect to hold the front. HEALTHY HAPPY crossed to sit outside CALIFORNIA SPANGLE in the Chinese Club Challenge Cup over 1400m at their last start and Alexis Badel will have to decide early whether he tries to lead or sits outside the leader. VOYAGE BUBBLE will hold a forward position from his draw.
CALIFORNIA SPANGLE has been below his best form at his last three outings but ended 2023 with an international rating of 123 and is a world-class miler at his best. He was slightly slow to move at his start but railed through to lead and under his top weight faded to be well beaten behind Taj Dragon on 1 January. Back to set weights, CALIFORNIA SPANGLE is a place chance.
VOYAGE BUBBLE is very versatile and adapts well to different circumstances in a race. He is working very well and should be well positioned. He won the Classic Mile 12 months ago and went on to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby a few months later. At his last run, VOYAGE BUBBLE settled just off the speed and stayed on strongly to finish second to champion Golden Sixty in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. He has trialled well recently leading into this race and with James McDonald to ride VOYAGE BUBBLE is a win and place chance.
BEAUTY ETERNAL has an outstanding record and continues to improve. He was a narrow winner of the BOCHK Mile in November over BEAUTY JOY and then ran well when sixth to GOLDEN SIXTY in the Hong Kong Mile at his last start on 10 December when he had a tendency to over race in the early stages. BEAUTY ETERNAL has also trialled well last week and is a place chance for Zac Purton.
Like VOYAGE BUBBLE and BEAUTY ETERNAL, STRAIGHT ARRON came through last year’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series and won the BOCHK Jockey Club Cup before running brilliantly in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup in December. In that race STRAIGHT ARRON raced without luck in the straight and closed strongly to finish fourth to Romantic Warrior beaten less than a length, achieving a career-high international rating of 118. STRAIGHT ARRON resumes here over 1600m on a path to the CITI Hong Kong Gold Cup in February over 2000m but will run well and is a place chance for Vincent Ho.
John Size has a remarkable record in the Stewards’ Cup with a record seven wins and while BEAUTY ETERNAL’s performance will be a major focus on Sunday, the master trainer also has a number of potential Four-Year-Old Classic Series aspirants on display in other races.
HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE, who runs in race nine, is last season’s Hong Kong Champion Griffin and shapes as a contender for the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 4 February, while stablemate ENSUED (race eight) will chase successive Class 2 wins as a possible pathway to the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 3 March and ultimately the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 24 March.
With the competition intensifying for places in the lucrative HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series, we can expect some exceptional performances over the next few weeks.
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