Equine welfare is of paramount importance to the Hong Kong Jockey Club and, with an abundance of caution, the decision has been taken to cancel the ‘Welcome Home’ ceremony planned for ROMANTIC WARRIOR at Sha Tin on Sunday (25 May).
This decision was based on expert advice from the Club’s Veterinary Regulation, Welfare and Biosecurity Policy Department and while the Club believes ROMANTIC WARRIOR would not face any risk from participating in the planned ceremony, we are of the view that the ceremony is not a priority so it will not be held.
While this is disappointing for everyone concerned, it is important to remember ROMANTIC WARRIOR’S welfare is of the utmost importance.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR returned to Hong Kong after racing successfully in the Middle East and presented extremely well and has not exhibited any signs of lameness or any other clinical issues.
However, consistent with the Club’s world-class procedures for the care of our racehorses, a detailed physical examination – including imaging taken using our veterinary hospital’s leading-edge facilities – has enabled the very early detection of some potential changes in one of ROMANTIC WARRIOR’s joints.
Consequently, as a result of this systematic approach to ensuring horse welfare, a management plan has been developed that will ensure ROMANTIC WARRIOR has an extremely good prognosis of such changes being fully addressed.
After an already extraordinary season packed with amazing highlights, we gather today at Sha Tin for the final Group 1 of the Hong Kong season, the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m).
As we welcome DUBAI HONOUR back to Hong Kong for a fifth time – which is testimony to his trainer William Haggas’ remarkable management – history potentially awaits VOYAGE BUBBLE.
If victorious, VOYAGE BUBBLE would become only the second horse to win the Triple Crown and join RIVER VERDON who in 1994 won the Stewards’ Cup (1600m), Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and the Champions & Chater Cup – when it was run over 2200m – in the same season.
Success today for VOYAGE BUBBLE would deliver a HK$10 million Triple Crown bonus for his owner the Moonlight And Sunshine Syndicate and stand as an incredible achievement for Ricky Yiu and James McDonald.
The other intriguing aspect to today’s feature is how our leading staying four-year-olds – BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner CAP FERRAT, G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) winner BUNDLE AWARD and Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) victor RUBYLOT – perform over 2400m at Group 1 level.
The Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup is carded as Race 8 and will be run over 2400m for prizemoney of HK$13 million.
The speed will be good. WINNING DRAGON is likely to go forward from barrier 10 and set the pace, with VOYAGE BUBBLE (James McDonald) and CAP FERRAT (Craig Williams) settling close to the lead. FIVE G PATCH (Brenton Avdulla) should be midfield ahead of ENSUED (Zac Purton) and DUBAI HONOUR (Tom Marquand).
VOYAGE BUBBLE won the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in December, before taking the first two legs of the Triple Crown with a dominant performance in the Stewards’ Cup and then easily beating ENSUED in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. Last start, VOYAGE BUBBLE loomed to win the G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) but could not get past RED LION.
VOYAGE BUBBLE’S record at 2000m is outstanding, with his Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup victory adding to his BMW Hong Kong Derby win, with his only defeat at the distance coming to ROMANTIC WARRIOR by a neck in the 2024 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. He extends to 2400m for the first time but is a win and place chance.
His main opposition will come DUBAI HONOUR. His most recent run at Sha Tin was a fighting second to GIAVELLOTTO in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) in December. DUBAI HONOUR had two subsequent runs in Australia, winning the G1 Tancred Stakes (2400m), before beating all but VIA SISTINA in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick (2000m). DUBAI HONOUR is a world class horse at this trip and will prove hard to beat.
ENSUED was fourth in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase and stayed on for second behind VOYAGE BUBBLE in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. Last start, he finished fourth behind TASTIERA and gives every impression 2400m is his trip. He is a place chance.
CAP FERRAT and RUBYLOT (Hugh Bowman) both ran well behind TASTIERA in the G1 FWD QEII Cup and can run well again if they stay the trip. BUNDLE AWARD (Andrea Atzeni) has already proven himself at the distance, scoring a hard-fought win in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap. BUNDLE AWARD rises in class but is an emerging talent.
Tony Cruz is looking to win the race as a trainer for a record eighth time. FIVE G PATCH and LA CITY BLANCHE (Matthew Chadwick) ran second and third, respectively, in this race last year behind REBEL’S ROMANCE but they don’t appear to be in the same form this year. Tony’s other runner WINNING DRAGON finished third to BUNDLE AWARD last start and is a winner at the trip previously.
World Pool action continues on Sunday night at The Curragh with the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, which is carded as S3-1 and will be run over 2100m at 10.05pm.
LOS ANGELES (Ryan Moore) won the Irish Derby last year and was an excellent third in the Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe (2400m) behind BLUESTOCKING. He resumed with victory the G2 Mooresbridge Stakes when he held off WHITE BIRCH at the finish. Aidan O’Brien has won this race ten times and Ryan on three occasions. LOS ANGELES is my win and place selection.
WHITE BIRCH has raced only once because of injury since winning this race last year for trainer John Murphy and rider Colin Keane. He resumed in the Mooresbridge Stakes and got within a neck of LOS ANGELES on the line. WHITE BIRCH will take great benefit from that run and he is a place chance.
GHOSTWRITER (Rossa Ryan) was consistent against older horses last season at the highest level, finishing third to CITY OF TROY in both the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown and the Juddmonte International at York. He finished fourth to SOUL RUSH and ROMANTIC WARRIOR in the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m). He is a place chance along with ANMAAT (Jim Crowley) and KALPANA (Oisin Murphy), the only filly in the race.
The G1 Irish 1000 Guineas is carded as S3-2 and will be run over the straight 1600m course at 10.40pm.
The pace should be good to moderate with DUTY FIRST (Hollie Doyle) and JANUARY (Wayne Lordan) sharing the lead. FLIGHT (Oisin Murphy) will settle in a prominent position.
Aidan O’Brien has also won this race 10 times and has the favourite, LAKE VICTORIA (Ryan Moore) who was unbeaten in four runs last year, finishing the season with a dominant win in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar in early November.
LAKE VICTORIA was slightly disappointing when sixth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on 4 May behind DESERT FLOWER. Aidan can turn form around quickly and LAKE VICTORIA is my win and place selection.
Dermot Weld has won this race six times, the first in 1982. His filly SWELTER (Chris Hayes) is unbeaten in two starts winning and she is also a win and place chance.
FLIGHT showed promise last season and was placed at Group level, but took a major step forward when resuming in the 1000 Guineas, running second to DESERT FLOWER. She ran on well in the last 400m of the race and is a place chance along with SIMMERING (Dylan McMonagle) and ATSILA (Gavin Ryan).
Last night’s Irish 2000 was a great race to watch with the amazing performance of FIELD OF GOLD in winning by three and three quarter lengths and I look forward to tonight’s racing back at The Curragh.
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