What a remarkable weekend for global racing. Congratulations to VIA SISTINA, who etched her name into history with a brilliant second successive victory in the G1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley, and a performance that cements her standing among the world’s elite middle-distance performers.
In doing so, she also provided James McDonald with his fourth consecutive Cox Plate triumph, following wins aboard VIA SISTINA in 2024, our very own ROMANTIC WARRIOR in 2023 and ANAMOE in 2022. The achievement underscores James’ exceptional talent and composure on racing’s biggest stages.
As James prepares to begin his Hong Kong riding stint soon, racing fans everywhere will be hoping to see a potential clash between VIA SISTINA and ROMANTIC WARRIOR at this year’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) – a mouthwatering prospect that would add even greater global appeal to December’s showcase.
Hong Kong racing now enters a pivotal phase of the season, as form lines begin to take shape and attention increasingly turns towards December’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) – the pinnacle of our racing calendar and one of the sport’s great global occasions.
The focus shifts to an outstanding 10-race card at Sha Tin this afternoon (Sunday, 26 October), where the Group 2 Premier Bowl (1200m) is the day’s highlight. The race brings together several of Hong Kong’s most exciting sprinters – HELIOS EXPRESS, one of our brightest talents; PACKING HERMOD, an emerging star returning to his preferred trip; and TOMODACHI KOKOROE, the veteran whose record-breaking form has him targeting a place among the elite in December.
The Premier Bowl has long been a pivotal stop on the road to the LONGINES HKIR, and the picture for the Sprint contest, at least, should become a little clearer after this weekend. This year’s edition offers a fascinating clash between established class and rising potential, as well as a handful of seasoned veterans, who, were they to win, would potentially set themselves up for a fairytale late-career run at success on the grandest of stages.
Another highlight of today’s card is the Class 2 Panasonic Cup (1600m), which brings together a glittering field of miler talent. The line-up includes MASSIVE SOVEREIGN, winner of the 2024 BMW Hong Kong Derby; RUBYLOT, who continues his ascent under the guidance of David Hayes; BUNDLE AWARD, HONG LOK GOLF and JOHANNES BRAHMS, among others. Together, they form a card that showcases the strength in depth of Hong Kong’s equine talent.
International racing fans have another treat in store later today (Sunday 26 October) when the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, 3000m), Japan’s final Classic of the year, is simulcast from Kyoto Racecourse at 2.40pm (Hong Kong time). Carded as (S2-1), this marathon contest is a searching test of stamina and class for Japan’s leading three-year-olds, often identifying future stayers of international quality.
The Kikuka Sho, the final leg of Japan’s Triple Crown, stands as one of the cornerstones of Japanese racing tradition, and today’s renewal features an outstanding field of 18 runners, headlined by some of the most progressive colts in the country.
In the absence of both winners of the previous two legs of the Triple Crown, the standout classic form belongs to ERI KING (Yuga Kawada) and SHOHEI (Mirai Iwata), having finished fifth and third, respectively, in the Tokyo Yushun. While the two are well matched, I’m inclined to lean towards Kawada’s mount, and I make ERI KING a win and place chance.
Christophe Lemaire is seeking to make it three Kikuka Sho wins in a row, and his ride, ENERGICO, is likely to go off as the favourite. That favouritism would be wholly justified; the Mizuki Takayanagi-trained colt has won three of the first four races of his career, one of which was the G2 Aoba Sho (2400m). That form can’t be easily ignored, and he is a strong win chance.
Closer to home, the speed should be genuine in the G2 Premier Bowl (1200m), with BOTTOMUPTOGETHER (Ellis Wong) expected to lead from gate three, while WUNDERBAR (Andrea Atzeni), BEAUTY WAVES (Matthew Chadwick), MAGIC CONTROL (Derek Leung) and TOMODACHI KOKOROE (Harry Bentley) are likely to settle prominently.
HELIOS EXPRESS (Hugh Bowman), one of Hong Kong’s most exciting sprinters, resumes following a strong trial and remains a horse with enormous talent. However, under top weight of 135lbs, he may find this run a stepping stone towards bigger targets later in the season.
That dynamic opens the door for several others to make a statement – notably PACKING HERMOD (Zac Purton), who looks set to thrive back at 1200 metres, and FAST NETWORK (Alexis Badel) and RAGING BLIZZARD (Brenton Avdulla), who bring valuable race fitness and lighter weights into the equation after running first and second in the G3 National Day Cup (1000m).
On form and preparation, PACKING HERMOD stands out as my choice to win, with RAGING BLIZZARD and FAST NETWORK appealing strongly for a place.
The Class 2 Panasonic Cup (1600m) promises to be equally competitive. RUBYLOT (Hugh Bowman) looks primed to run a big race second-up following a strong closing fifth in the Celebration Cup. Over the longer trip, he shapes as a win and place chance. HONG LOK GOLF (Harry Bentley) and STEPS AHEAD (Jerry Chau) should both be in the mix again, while BUNDLE AWARD (Andrea Atzeni), an improving stayer resuming over a suitable distance, appeals as a solid place prospect.
As the build-up to December gathers pace, every meeting now carries added significance. The next few weeks will reveal the stars set to contest Hong Kong’s grandest stage – the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races – where the world’s best meet to compete in an atmosphere unlike any other.
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