The towering accomplishments of Hong Kong’s horses, trainers and jockeys have been a constant source of pride and joy throughout a truly unique 2024/25 season and, fittingly, Friday night’s (11 July) Hong Kong Champion Awards ceremony was a magnificent celebration of a remarkable season.
The combined accomplishments of KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE – Hong Kong’s equine titans – have resonated on the global stage with a combined 10 Group 1 wins, three course records, prizemoney earnings of HK$181.4 million and 16 wins from 20 starts.
These phenomenal achievements were deservedly recognised on Friday night when Hong Kong’s racing community gathered to pay homage to this season’s heroes – horses and humans – and to reflect on an extraordinary chapter in which our city has not just one outstanding horse, but three.
From a horse population of about 1,300 horses – or less than 1% of the active global thoroughbred population – it is incredible that Hong Kong racing is simultaneously graced with champions such as KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE.
This would simply not be possible without the ongoing commitment and passion of our owners, who continue to invest significantly to secure the best available horses to race in Hong Kong and, for this, I am very grateful.
KA YING RISING produced a perfect season with four Group 1 wins and two track records during an unbeaten eight-race campaign for David Hayes, Zac Purton, Karis Teetan and the Ka Ying Syndicate to be recognised as Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year. He is the top-rated sprinter in the world and one of the most exciting horses Hong Kong has produced and, following his recognition last season as Champion Griffin and Most Improved Horse, this season he has also added the Champion Sprinter and Champion Four-Year-Old awards as well as Horse of the Year.
David and his team are to be commended on how they have managed KA YING RISING since his arrival in Hong Kong from Australia and he is now in the midst of the third-longest winning streak in Hong Kong racing history with 12 victories in a row behind two all-time greats in SILENT WITNESS (17) and GOLDEN SIXTY (16).
As a member of the judging panel, I am very much aware of the outstanding merits of ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE regarding the Hong Kong Horse of the Year award and the task of selecting one of these champions above the other two was indeed challenging.
In any other year, all three horses would be outstanding Hong Kong Horse of the Year winners and we are incredibly fortunate to be able to enjoy an amazing chapter of Hong Kong racing with three great stars excelling in one single season.
VOYAGE BUBBLE’s effort to win the Champion Miler and Champion Stayer mantles mirrors the rare scope of his achievement in becoming the first horse since RIVER VERDON in 1994 to win the Triple Crown with victories in the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) in the same season.
I congratulate VOYAGE BUBBLE’s trainer Ricky Yiu, jockey James McDonald and owner the Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate for this amazing season and wish them continued success with this incredibly versatile galloper.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR’s effort to win an historic third consecutive G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and clinch a Group 1 in a fourth separate racing jurisdiction with victory in track record time in the G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) in Dubai underlined his reputation as Hong Kong’s global champion and he lost nothing in heartbreakingly close defeats in the G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) in Riyadh and the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) for Danny Shum, Mr Peter Lau and James McDonald. He is a deserved winner aof the Champion Middle-Distance Horse Award for a remarkable fourth consecutive season.
MY WISH’s startling rise from 54 in the handicaps to 105 with victory in the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and narrow defeat in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) secured this season’s Most Improved Horse Award and I congratulate trainer Mark Newnham, owners Ada Che Xiao Hong, Suki Tang Xianfang and Ruby Hui Like Sea and jockey Luke Ferraris on a great campaign. MY WISH is part of an exciting group of talented four-year-olds who I hope can become the foundation for the next generation of champions.
The Champion Awards event on Friday night was a wonderful success and I would also like to acknowledge all finalists and I look forward to following the progress of the champions and finalists into next season and beyond.
Several other awards – including this season’s Champion Trainer, the Tony Cruz Award, Most Popular Jockey and Most Popular Horse – will be announced across the next two meetings, including Wednesday’s (16 July) season finale at Happy Valley.
With Zac Purton assured of an eighth Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, the Hong Kong trainers’ championship remains undecided with John Size leading David Hayes 66-60 with only 20 races left in the season, as does the tussle for the Tony Cruz Award with Matthew Poon (36 wins), Matthew Chadwick (34 wins) and Derek Leung (33 wins) all in a position to win it.
At Sha Tin on Sunday (13 July), the Class 1 The Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy Handicap is carded as Race 8 and will be run over 1600m at 7.35pm for HK$4,075,000 in prizemoney.
The pace will be good to slow with CHANCHENG GLORY (Luke Ferraris) likely to lead from SOLEIL FIGHTER (Ben Thompson), WINNING DRAGON (Matthew Chadwick) and BEAUTY ETERNAL (James Orman), who will try to cross from barrier 10. BEAUTY JOY (Derek Leung), MASSIVE SOVEREIGN (Zac Purton) and BUNDLE AWARD (Andrea Atzeni) are likely to settle towards the tail of the field.
CHANCHENG GLORY won this race last year and has raced consistently well this season including a win in the Centenary Vase over 1800m in January and an excellent third to Voyage Bubble in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup in February. Last start, he was caught wide and had to work hard, tiring late when sixth to BEAUTY JOY in the Premier Plate (1800m) on 22 June. CHANCHENG GLORY is well drawn in gate five and is a win and place chance.
BEAUTY JOY returned to his best form last start when he easily beat CAP FERRAT and BUNDLE AWARD. BEAUTY JOY’s chances are always assisted by a fast tempo and, if there is sufficient speed, he is also a win and place chance.
Last season’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner MASSIVE SOVEREIGN resumes after surgery and spent almost five months at Conghua before returning to Sha Tin for two trials for David Eustace. He looked good winning his most recent trial and it will be interesting how he performs under race conditions.
BUNDLE AWARD won the Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2400m) in May and last start ran home strongly in the closing stages to take third behind BEAUTY JOY. BUNDLE AWARD comes back further in trip here but has won over 1400m at Sha Tin and is a place chance for Andrea Atzeni with his light weight.
PATCH OF THETA (Hugh Bowman) and HAPPY TOGETHER (Alexis Badel) are racing consistently well and can be placed, while YOUNG CHAMPION (Karis Teetan) and KEEFY (Matthew Poon) are both lightly-weighted with 115lb and can be competitive.
Comment
