December’s Hong Kong Worldwide Races look to be a troublesome go for overseas guests after Romantic Warrior , Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble laid down the gauntlet of their ultimate preps Nov. 17 at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Romantic Warrior, Hong Kong’s personal worldwide famous person, did not flip a hair in dominating the Jockey Membership Cup (G2) whereas prepping for a three-peat try within the huge race, the Hong Kong Cup (G1), on the similar 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) Dec. 8. Ka Ying Rising was, if something, much more spectacular within the Jockey Membership Dash (G2). And within the Jockey Membership Mile (G2), Voyage Bubble led residence a discipline together with a number of potential December winners.
“He is just like the prize fighter, is not he?” jockey James McDonald stated after Romantic Warrior cruised residence 4 1/4 lengths forward of the remainder of the sector within the Cup. “Heavyweight champion of the world. You by no means actually get nervous on him as a result of he is so good. He is an unbelievable horse. I really like him to bits and he is superb.”
Properly, sure. He’s. The 6-year-old Acclamation gelding is on track to demolish a few of the spectacular Hong Kong information put up by the lately retired Golden Sixty and carried his expertise overseas in the course of the 2023-24 season to win the Cox Plate (G1) in Australia and the Yasuda Kinen (G1) in Japan.
And it is little surprise McDonald is in love with him as he is toted the New Zealand native to victory 9 occasions from 10 rides.
“He by no means helps you to down ever and he is simply received this superb will to win. It is one thing I’ve by no means come throughout,” McDonald stated.
Coach Danny Shum stated he informed the enthusiastic rider the December take a look at can be a special story, assuming a good variety of the highest world middle-distance runners settle for their entries.
“The sector can be completely completely different—a lot, a lot, a lot stronger than right now. You see the entries. Wow, so many good horses. So, it is a robust race on Dec. 8,” Shum stated.
Assuming all goes effectively there, Shum is making ready Romantic Warrior for one more robust problem—a swap to the dust for a strive on the Saudi Cup (G1) in February and probably the Dubai World Cup (G1) in April.
“It is going to be robust for him and the workforce not solely within the subsequent few weeks, however the subsequent six months … The proprietor (Peter Lau), is de facto eager to go. He deserves to have a strive. It is as soon as in a lifetime,” Shum stated.
In the meantime, Ka Ying Rising is beginning to seem like one in a lifetime within the Hong Kong dash ranks.
The 4-year-old was requested to run solely about 1,000 of the 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs) within the Jockey Membership Dash. After that, the problem was so effectively settled that jockey Zac Purton was having fun with the stroll and blowing a kiss to the digicam.
Even with out being requested for a lot, Ka Ying Rising completed in 1:07.43, shattering the long-standing course file held by Sacred Kingdom. The victory was his seventh straight at Sha Tin and units him up because the one to beat—and good luck to ya—within the Hong Kong Dash (G1) Dec. 8.
“All he has to do actually now’s maintain his type and I can not see any motive why he will not,” stated profitable coach David Hayes. “We have 21 extra sleeps earlier than the large group 1 in three weeks, so we’re actually wanting ahead to it. I feel he is the horse they must beat. I am unsure what’s coming in the meanwhile however they may have an enormous job to beat him.”
The Jockey Membership Mile turned up a number of contenders for December’s group 1 equal, the Hong Kong Mile (G1).
Voyage Bubble, a 6-year-old by Deep Subject out of the Rahy mare Raheights, has been within the combine on the high degree in Hong Kong for 2 years now however has been brief on wins. He moved the needle on that with a gritty, 3/4-length victory over lengthy shot Chancheng Glory, an Iowa-bred son of Mor Spirit . The favourite, Galaxy Patch, was third.
Voyage Bubble completed thirteenth within the Dubai Turf (G1) in March and seventeenth, behind Romantic Warrior, within the Yasuda Kinen. He returned from a four-month break to complete second to Galaxy Patch within the Sha Tin Trophy (G2) Oct. 13.
“We expect there’s nonetheless a little bit one thing left in him left to come back,” stated profitable coach Ricky Yiu. “Though he completed second (within the Trophy), I feel he was solely 75 or 80 per cent match and that race would convey him on.”