As we prepare to stage the final Hong Kong meeting of 2025, it is timely to reflect on a truly magnificent year of world-class horseracing and the incredible achievements of a select band of champion horses, trainers and jockeys.
The Festive season is a period of reflection and hope and as we look back upon 2025, the towering feats of Hong Kong’s outstanding horses, trainers and jockeys remain especially vivid, particularly the achievements of Hong Kong’s three ‘Heavenly Horses Kings’ – KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE.
Their collective accomplishments throughout this year are stunning with 11 Group 1 wins crowned by two amazing overseas victories, among a combined 15 wins, two course records and unanimous international acclaim.
KA YING RISING set the tone for a year of extraordinary performances in January with his Sha Tin 1200m course record of 1m 07.20s in winning the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup as part of a remarkable domination for David Hayes and Zac Purton, which also saw this amazing sprinter become the first overseas horse to win the G1 The Everest (1200m) in Australia before extending his winning streak to 16 with a stunning G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) triumph in December.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR followed suit by breaking Meydan’s 1800m course record in 1m 45.10s in the G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) before narrow seconds in the G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) and G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) before injury intervened. Now fully recovered, Hong Kong’s global champion demonstrated his immense quality with a record-extending fourth G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) for Danny Shum and James McDonald.
VOYAGE BUBBLE also snared a rare piece of history in becoming only the second horse to sweep Hong Kong’s fabled Triple Crown with victory in the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) for Ricky Yiu and James McDonald before defending his G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) success.
Together, these amazing equine athletes have brought tremendous credit on Hong Kong and this has certainly been a year to savour along with the breakthrough Group 1-winning performance of RED LION, who prevailed for 13-time Hong Kong champion trainer John Size in the G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m), and the successes of visitors SOSIE and TASTIERA.
Together, as part of our mantra of ‘One Club, One Team, One Vision’, Hong Kong horse racing has provided wonderful entertainment in 2025 as a world-leader in the sport and allowing the Club to continue working for the betterment of our community and I would like to express my thanks to everyone involved.
None of these achievements would be possible without the unstinting commitment of our passionate owners, the expertise of a world-class cohort of trainers and jockeys and the dedication of the Club’s teams, from veterinary to track facilities and race-day operations, among many others, as well as the international racing community.
The Club has a long and proud history of supporting sport and I believe that sport has the power to change lives and, with this in mind, I am delighted that the Club and the Yao Foundation, which is headed by superstar basketballer Yao Ming, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in the promotion of basketball and the development of youth sports.
This partnership aims to support the national strategy of building the country into a sports powerhouse, contributing to the high-quality development of the sports industry and, under the MoU, both parties will explore joint initiatives and exchange activities to strengthen basketball promotion and youth sports development.
Basketball is one of Hong Kong’s most popular team sports and a key focus of the Club’s sports development strategy. The Club shares the same vision with the Yao Foundation and we look forward to collaborating with it to further develop basketball in the community in support of the physical and mental well-being of young people and to strengthen social cohesion.
The Club acts continuously for the betterment of society and it has pledged HK$3 billion over the next three years in support of sports development, while the Club’s Charities Trust has committed over HK$70 million to the Jockey Club Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme with the aim of making basketball more accessible for students and underprivileged groups.
These are wonderful initiatives for our sports-loving community and I look forward to watching basketball further develop in Hong Kong.
At Sha Tin today (27 December), the sporting highlight of the day is the Long Ke Handicap, which is a Class 2 with prizemoney of HK$3.12 million and run over the BMW Hong Kong Derby distance of 2000m as Race 3 at 2pm.
It has attracted nine runners and is a very competitive race with many chances.
The pace will be good with SWORD POINT (David Probert) and NUMBERS (Derek Leung) vying for the lead, while AWESOME FLUKE (Andrea Atzeni) and NOISY BOY (Karis Teetan) will also be prominent.
LO RIDER (Hugh Bowman) is yet to win beyond 1650m in Hong Kong, but won over 1800m in Ireland as a three-year-old. He led and finished a close fourth in the 2025 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and trialled well recently over 1600m in preparation for this race. He is a win and place chance.
NUMBERS is a four-year-old who is being aimed at the BMW Hong Kong Derby and is Group 1-placed in Australia over the distance of 2400m. His first start in Happy Valley was very promising over the distance of 1800m and he was caught only in the last 100m. The extra distance should be an advantage and he is a win and place chance, too.
KA YING GENERATION (Luke Ferraris) drops in class from the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and is a place chance along with WINNING WING (Dylan Mo). BRAVEHEARTS (Matthew Poon) won this race last year and will carry only 115lb today and is also a place chance, as is AWESOME FLUKE.
On Sunday (28 December), we will simulcast Arima Kinen Day from Nakayama, Japan with the first of eight races from 10.50am. The G1 Arima Kinen is one of Japan’s most popular races with the field selected partially by fan voting. It is carded as S1-7 and run over 2500m at 2.40pm.
The pace will be good with riders vying for inside positions early on the tight, undulating track.
REGALEIRA (Christophe Lemaire) won this race last year and has drawn perfectly in gate five. She has returned in great form after recovering from a leg fracture with an easy win the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup over 2200m. She is a win and place chance.
DANON DECILE (Keita Tosaki) finished third in the 2024 Arima Kinen and has since won the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m). It is interesting that Keita had the option to ride REGALEIRA but chose DANON DECILE, who has drawn gate nine and is also a win and placing chance.
In a high-class field, several horses are also strong chances including MUSEUM MILE (Cristian Demuro), MEISHO TABARU (Yutaka Take), TASTIERA (Kohei Matsuyama), ADMIRE TERRA (Yuga Kawada) and JUSTIN PALACE (Taisei Danno).
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