The 2025 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) on Sunday (14 December) was an extraordinary success, crowning a hugely successful week with one of the best days of racing in Hong Kong, China history and confirming the sport is in the midst of a golden age.
From a sports perspective, we were treated to an incredible afternoon of world-class racing with the stunning performances of SOSIE and Hong Kong’s trio of ‘Heavenly Horses Kings’ – KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE.
The success of Sunday’s meeting could not have been possible without the support of overseas owners, trainers and jockeys and I am deeply grateful for the ongoing participation of the world’s premier racing operations.
Andre Fabre is an extraordinary horseman and he displayed his expertise once more with the victory of SOSIE under Maxime Guyon in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), defeating a gallant GIAVELLOTTO and franking the form of Europe’s leading staying race, the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Andre has won the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase a record four times, having first struck with BORGIA in 1999 and also more recently with FLINTSHIRE and JUNKO and SOSIE’s success was a masterpiece in preparation and timing.
With 17 wins from 19 starts and 16 wins in a row, KA YING RISING has exhausted all of the superlatives in horseracing’s lexicon of praise and his latest triumph in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) was among his best.
Ridden by Zac Purton for David Hayes, KA YING RISING demonstrated his phenomenal acceleration between the 600m and 200m, clocking 21.61s, to have the race completely under control, so much so he was able to cruise over the final 200m in 11.76s – and still win by almost four lengths.
He is the best sprinter I have ever seen and, during my time in Hong Kong, I have had the privilege of watching some of the world’s finest sprinters in their prime, which gives further context to KA YING RISING’s rare class.
VOYAGE BUBBLE does not draw as much as attention as KA YING RISING and ROMANTIC WARRIOR, primarily because of his metronomic racing style, but he is unquestionably a champion and he proved so again with courageous victory against some of the sport’s best milers in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m).
His response for Zac and Ricky Yiu when SOUL RUSH surged past him inside the last 200m underlined his fighting qualities and VOYAGE BUBBLE again defied a host of high-class challengers to retain his crown and confirm his high quality.
It was a brilliant ride by Zac, knowing he had to rely on VOYAGE BUBBLE’s superior stamina and fighting spirit to keep within striking distance of SOUL RUSH and ultimately outstay him with two other Group 1 winners RED LION and DOCKLANDS over two lengths back.
As one of only two horses to win Hong Kong’s fabled Triple Crown and now six Group 1 features, as well as BMW Hong Kong Derby triumph, VOYAGE BUBBLE is one of the city’s greats and it was a wonderful piece of training by Ricky to drop the horse back in distance from 2000m and still topple a high-class field.
Like KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR has drawn virtually every accolade from racing writers over a magnificent career and he further cemented his place as a Hong Kong racing immortal with a record fourth G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) victory and an unprecedented 11th Group 1 win by a Hong Kong-trained horse.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR was outstanding once again, dominating his rivals and beating the world-class Group 1 winner BELLAGIO OPERA by one-and-three-quarter lengths and running the last 400m in 22.42s with the Group 1-winning filly QUISISANA over five lengths back in third.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR is an enduring credit to the excellent management of trainer Danny Shum, the ambition of owner Mr Peter Lau and the genius of jockey James McDonald, who justifiably has unshakeable faith in this amazing horse.
Danny’s effort to repatriate ROMANTIC WARRIOR from leg surgery and then restore him to the highest level of efficiency is simply remarkable and echoes the skills of his mentor Ivan Allan.
In any era, racing jurisdictions around the world would exult in having one champion – Hong Kong is currently in the privileged position of having three incredible champions from a horse population of only 1,350 horses or 0.7 percent of the global thoroughbred population.
From a safety perspective, I would like to thank the brilliant reaction of our team members who quickly and effectively addressed an incident involving a track intruder during the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup. Their brave actions ensured that there were no injuries to horses and jockeys and allowed the safe completion of the race.
After the successful staging of the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley last week, focus returns to our iconic city racecourse tonight (17 December) with the Happy Wednesday Winter Wonderland celebration.
Internationally acclaimed singer Rechelle Mansour returns to lead the entertainment while attendees can enjoy world-class racing, music, dancing, food and beverages in the especially themed Winter Wonderland featuring Christmas tree and snow flake displays.
The competitive highlight at Happy Valley on Wednesday, the Class 3 Sea Eagle Handicap is carded as Race 9 and will be run over 1650m with prizemoney of HK$2,050,000.
The pace will be good to slow with MIGHTY STEED (Hollie Doyle) likely to lead from barrier eight. SOUTH STAR (Zac Purton) and SUPER UNICORN (Andrea Atzeni) should be able to hold forward positions from inside draws. CHILL KAKA (Matthew Poon) and NOVA KNIGHT (Keith Yeung) should settle just behind the leading group.
SUPER UNICORN has won his past two starts over this course and distance, having beaten CONSPIRACY WITNESS on 22 October before defying a class rise to defeat FLYING FORTRESS and ANOTHER ZONDA on 19 November. SUPER UNICORN is perfectly drawn in gate two and he is a win and place chance.
SOUTH STAR drew barrier 12 and was caught wide throughout before finishing seventh to SUPER UNICORN last start. SOUTH STAR won his previous start and he is a place chance from gate four.
I CAN (Luke Ferraris) ran on strongly in the straight last start to finish fourth to SUPER UNICORN, beaten only one length. At his previous start, I CAN stormed home to beat KING LOTUS and is also a place chance.
FANTASTIC FUN (Matthew Chadwick) won twice in a row in Class 4 over this course and distance before finishing fifth in Class 3 behind SUPER UNICORN. He is a place chance despite an awkward draw in gate 11 and will probably have to go back from the start.
A AMERIC TE SPECSO (James McDonald) and MIGHTY STEED are both racing well and can be placed.
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