After months of preparation and planning, 2026 BMW Hong Kong Derby Day (22 March) is almost upon us with a magnificent dual celebration with the staging of the race of “once-in-a-lifetime glory” – an occasion made even more auspicious since it is contested in the Year of the Horse.
Opportunity beckons for 14 emerging stayers, who will vie for ultimate honours in the final leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series and bid to join some of the most luminous names in Hong Kong racing history, including ROMANTIC WARRIOR, GOLDEN SIXTY, VOYAGE BUBBLE, DESIGNS ON ROME and WERTHER, among many others.
By broad consensus, the 2026 HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) is the most wide-open edition of the Classic with 12 of the 14 starters competing over 10 furlongs for the first time in Hong Kong.
Adding further intrigue to the race is the fact only one horse in the field – NUMBERS – has won at Sha Tin over the BMW Hong Kong Derby course, while only two of Sunday’s Derby entrants have won at 2000m or beyond, either in Hong Kong or overseas – NUMBERS and SAGACIOUS LIFE, who won the G1 Derby Paulista (2400m) in Brazil in 2024.
As with all races in Hong Kong, luck in running will be crucial and the barrier draw has created some interesting scenarios, while tactics will be pivotal to the outcome of the race and I wish the connections of all runners the very best of luck.
The BMW Hong Kong Derby has been a springboard for several horses towards subsequent Group 1 glory including ROMANTIC WARRIOR, GOLDEN SIXTY and VOYAGE BUBBLE and it is interesting to note that nine horses selected to contest the 149th BMW Hong Kong Derby, including Standby Declared runners, are also entered for FWD Champions Day, with the nominations of LITTLE PARADISE, INVINCIBLE IBIS, DAZZLING FIT, EMBLAZON, SERAPH GABRIEL, STORMY GROVE, TOP DRAGON, NUMBERS and WINDLORD.
As we look ahead to the running of BMW Hong Kong Derby Day on Sunday, the FWD theme also continues at Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney today (21 March) with the presence of LINEBACKER and EVAPORATE, who are entered for our 26 April international showpiece.
Both LINEBACKER and EVAPORATE will contest the G1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and their performances will be very interesting.
The first of 10 races will be simulcast through our World Pool operation from 9.20am, while the first of the feature races is the G1 Ranvet Stakes, which is carded as S1-5 and is run over 2000m at 11.40am.
The pace should be good to slow on the soft to yielding ground.
AELIANA has finished second at her past two starts to her unbeaten stablemate AUTUMN GLOW and, under James McDonald, gets perfect conditions as a win and place chance.
SIR DELIUS (Craig Williams) is racing well and is the obvious danger to AELIANA, while LINDERMANN (Nash Rawiller) is also a place chance in the small field.
The G1 Rosehill Guineas is carded as S1-6 and is run over 2000m at 12.15pm.
The pace should be good.
AUTUMN BOY was hampered at the start in the G1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) before finishing strongly for second to SHEZA ALIBI. He is well drawn in gate three for James McDonald and is a win and place chance.
OBSERVER (Craig Williams) is in fantastic form and is chasing a fifth successive win and is the hardest to beat, while FEDERALIST (Dylan Gibbons), VICTORIOUS SPIRIT (Zac Spain) and GREEN SPACES (Rachel King) are place chances.
The G1 George Ryder Stakes is carded as S1-7 and is run over 1500m at 12.50pm.
The pace should be good to slow.
Champion filly AUTUMN GLOW chases her 11th victory in a row for Chris Waller and has drawn well in gate seven for James McDonald. Five of AUTUMN GLOW’s wins have come on rain-affected tracks and she is a win and place chance.
LADY SHENANDOAH (Tommy Berry), PERICLES (Craig Williams), BEIWACHT (Adam Hyeronimus), EVAPORATE (Luke Currie), GRINGOTTS (Nash Rawiller) and LINEBACKER (Zac Lloyd) are place chances.
The G1 Golden Slipper Stakes is carded as S1-8 and is run over 1200m at 1.35pm.
The pace should be good.
WARWOVEN is the best-performed of the two-year-olds engaged with three wins from four starts and has shown he can cope with soft ground. He is a win and place chance for Rachel King.
FIREBALL had no luck last start and has blinkers for the first time. He is also a win and place chance for James McDonald.
CHAYAN (Craig Williams), GUEST HOUSE (Zac Lloyd), CLOSER TO FREE (Jamie Melham), PARADOXIUM (Jason Collett), SPICY MISS (Craig Newitt), STRETAN RULER (Chad Schofield), ZAMBALES (Nash Rawiller) and CAMPIONE D’ITALIA (Damian Lane) all have place chances.
The G1 Galaxy is carded as S1-9 and is run over 1100m at 2.15pm.
The pace should be good.
BRIASA is a talented sprinter and finished eighth to KA YING RISING, beaten just over three lengths, in the G1 The Everest (1200m) in October. He has won two trials in preparation for this race and has two wins from four starts when resuming. He is a win and place chance for Tyler Schiller.
GRAFTERBURNERS (Zac Lloyd) has won his past four starts in three-year-old company and is proven on soft ground. He is a place chance, along with RESERVE BANK (Damian Lane), MARHOONA (Kerrin McEvoy), ENRICHED (Craig Williams), BRIDAL WALTZ (Luke Cartwright) and HEDGED (Tim Clark).
Comment
