With the memories of his history-making heroics from February still incredibly vivid, the world’s top-ranked horse KA YING RISING returns to Sha Tin today (6 April) with twin objectives as he bids to extend his record winning streak to 19 races and advance preparations for FWD Champions Day.
Great champions have the rare capacity to transcend sport, regardless of the pursuit, with performances which are breathtakingly superior – often with historic ramifications – and KA YING RISING sits squarely in that category.
Having broken Sha Tin track records on three occasions – twice at 1200m and another at 1400m – KA YING RISING is now recognised as the world’s premier horse based on performances this year in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
His sustained excellence has further enhanced Hong Kong’s world-class racing, and we are currently fortunate to have three fantastic champions competing in Hong Kong at the same time – KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE.
Personally, I am excited to see what unfolds today, and it is a privilege to again watch KA YING RISING, who is such an amazing horse.
With less than three weeks until FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on 26 April, today’s Group 2 double-header at Sha Tin takes on even more significance with the return of Group 1 winners KA YING RISING, VOYAGE BUBBLE, LUCKY SWEYNESSE and RED LION.
It is certainly a very exciting day in prospect, and the eyes of the global racing community will be firmly fixed on Sha Tin this afternoon ahead of FWD Champions Day when we will welcome outstanding horses from around the world to compete with our champions.
I had the pleasure of watching the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on Sunday (5 April) and, based on the incredible quality of Japan’s staying ranks led by horses such as CROIX DU NORD, MEISHO TABARU and DANON DECILE, who fought out the Osaka Hai, ROMANTIC WARRIOR could face his biggest challenge yet in his history-making bid to win a fourth G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m).
Japan has an extremely strong FWD QEII entry with Group 1 winners such as MASQUERADE BALL and MUSEUM MILE, who both finished close behind CROIX DU NORD in last year’s G1 Japanese Derby (2400m), while France’s SOSIE is already a Group 1 winner at Sha Tin and Great Britain’s ROYAL CHAMPION won the G1 Neom Turf Cup (2100m) in Riyadh in February by almost five lengths.
With the forecast of more rain at Sha Tin today (6 April), where the conditions are currently good, it would be prudent to closely monitor the track conditions, especially with the possibility of thunderstorms.
The first of our features today is the G2 Sprint Cup, which is carded as Race 7 and will be run over 1200m at 3.35pm with prizemoney of HK$5.35 million.
The pace will be good with STELLAR EXPRESS (Andrea Atzeni) the likely leader. BEAUTY WAVES will be close to the front, with KA YING RISING settling outside the leader from gate five for Zac Purton. TOMODACHI KOKOROE will be prominent.
KA YING RISING is in outstanding form after winning the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) in February and was even more impressive taking the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at his last start, smashing the 1400m course record in the process.
It is beyond doubt that he is the greatest sprinter of the modern era on the global stage and seemingly is continuing to reach higher levels with each run. Even with a 5lb penalty it is almost impossible to see him not winning here. He trialed well last week in preparation for this race and should win again.
In another era, HELIOS EXPRESS would have posted multiple wins at the highest level but has had to be content with living in KA YING RISING’s shadow. He chased hard last start in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, finishing well clear of the rest of the field. He will be suited by any moisture in the track, but I still don’t think he will beat KA YING RISING and he is my selection to finish runner-up again for Hugh Bowman.
His stablemate RAGING BLIZZARD continues to post consistent performances at the highest level and is a strong chance to finish third for Brenton Avdulla.
TOMODACHI KOKOROE (Harry Bentley), BEAUTY WAVES (Alexis Badel) and STELLAR EXPRESS should provide a competitive fight for fourth.
The G2 Chairman’s Trophy is carded as Race 9 and will be run over 1600m at 4.45pm with prizemoney of HK$5.35 million.
This is an open race full of winning chances and a number of horses will need to perform well to secure places in the FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on 26 April.
The speed will be good with RED LION drawn well in gate two likely to lead under Andrea Atzeni. CHANCHENG GLORY (James Orman) also likes to race handy to the speed and should be prominent along with VOYAGE BUBBLE and LUCKY SWEYNESSE.
LUCKY SWEYNESSE competed at 1600m for the first time in the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and ran an outstanding race to finish second before sitting behind the leader from an inside gate and staying on well for third to KA YING RISING in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee on 22 March. Derek Leung will look to have LUCKY SWEYNESSE in a forward position from gate ten and he is win and a place chance.
MY WISH (Hugh Bowman) is well drawn in gate four and will appreciate the drop back to 1600m and also is unbeaten on rain-affected ground. He has been racing well without winning and he is also a win and place chance.
VOYAGE BUBBLE was magnificent winning the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in December and carries a 5lb penalty for that win. He has been beaten at his two subsequent runs, finishing third to ROMANTIC WARRIOR and LUCKY SWEYNESSE in the Stewards’ Cup (1600m), before finishing fifth in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000m on 1 March. VOYAGE BUBBLE is one of the best milers in world racing, but he is not working as well as he was before and he is a place chance for his new rider Jerry Chau.
FAST NETWORK has emerged as one of the best sprinters in the world behind KA YING RISING and HELIOS EXPRESS and was incredibly impressive under top weight winning the Essex Handicap over 1200m last start under Zac Purton. Connections have elected to extend to 1600m here, rather than remaining at the sprint distance. He has drawn an awkward gate, and Zac will look to settle in a forward position, while conserving energy early in the race. FAST NETWORK is a place chance.
SUNLIGHT POWER (Vincent Ho) has been consistent at this level in the past 12 months and place claims. GALAXY PATCH (Karis Teetan) was runner-up in this race last year and will finish off the race well at the end of the 1600m.
Comment
