Longines Hong Kong Cup (Group 1)

HONG Kong racing can currently live by its own sway on the certainties in life quote. Death, taxes and Romantic Warrior.

The Irish-bred Romantic Warrior became the first horse to win the HK$40 million Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup three times and making history in the most impressive way.

Jockey James McDonald was able to stand up in his irons and salute the packed Sha Tin grandstands, as he passed the line a length and a half clear of Japan’s filly Liberty Island.

The short-priced favourite jumped slickly from the gates and McDonald was able to allow him to settle into an easy rhythm in fourth place, as Ballydoyle filly Wingspan set the pace.

Another Japanese challenger, Tastiera, had tracked in second and provided the only real competition to Romantic Warrior in a race very few got into.

Liberty Island edged past her compatriot in the closing stages, but the winner had it won.

“That was unbelievable, I’m so proud of this horse. He’s just been remarkable and it’s some effort by Danny (Shum, trainer) and his team,” said McDonald.

“The Japanese put it to him, but with no luck. He’s the best, forget the rest, he’s the best. Anyone could ride him because he’s that easy, but I’m the lucky one. He’s the horse of a lifetime.

“This was our moment to create history and it felt like I was lining up for the winning kick for the All Blacks. It was a ‘pinch-me’ moment,” said McDonald.

Romantic Warrior has already flown the flag for Hong Kong abroad, winning the Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia in 2023. Shum and his team then took the brave decision to head to Japan this June, where he won the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo.

This win, in an unbeaten streak over a year, sees the six-year-old son of Acclamation move past another Hong Kong great, Golden Sixty, as the biggest money-earner in racing history.

In February, another big date is in his diary, with a crack on the dirt for the lucrative Group 1 Saudi Cup.

“The owner Mr Peter Lau said it’s a once in a life chance to take the challenge in Saudi Arabia for the top prize money in the world. We are experimenting with dirt, but I’ve tried him in an all-weather trial with a pacifier and he was quite good,” said Shum.

The Foxes was the best of the Europeans, running on in fourth for Oisin Murphy, while Content was a never seventh and Spirit Dancer ninth.

Longines Hong Kong Vase (Group 1)

THERE was a shock success in the Vase, when Oisin Murphy partnered Giavellotto to come with a devasting run to stamp his authority, ending a 12-year drought for British trainers at this meeting.

The five-year-old son of Mastercraftsman had been a high-class stayer over longer trips, last seen finishing third to Kyprios and Vauban in the Irish St Leger, though he won July’s Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket.

Trainer Marco Botti gave credit to Murphy for giving him the confidence to come back in trip to 12 furlongs at this level.

“Credit to Oisin, because first thing after the Group 1 Irish St Leger, he mentioned this race and he was adamant that we should come here,” said Botti.

“Giavellotto was fresh coming into the race and it was only his sixth race of the year. We knew that, if he handled a drop back to a mile and a half on a sharper track than Newmarket - we had a chance.”

Giavellotto raced back in the field along the rail down the back straight and a gap closed at the top of the straight, just as Joao Moreira launched Japanese-trained favourite Stellenbosch with a run down the outside.

Didn’t panic

Murphy didn’t panic and, despite the leaders being a couple of lengths ahead, quickly cut back to the inside and quickened smartly, coming home two and a half lengths clear of fellow British runner Dubai Honour, who again performed with great credit, while Stellenbosch may have done too much too soon before the turn-in, but held third.

Luxembourg and Ryan Moore were always in touch, but had no extra in the final 150yd, while Continuous again disappointed in ninth of the 13.

“It was all very comfortable until I got to the turn, then I had to wait,” said Murphy. “But he showed an incredible kick to get going. He was always going to win from a furlong out, so I was really able to soak it up.

“The owner [Francesca Francini] was very brave to resist some very good offers,” trainer Marco Botti said. “Credit to the owner, who has a lot of faith in this horse. It’s just a dream come true. He’s just got better and better and he loves travelling.”

Maureen Haggas said of Dubai Honour: “The winner is a very good horse and got first run on him, but he ran a hell of a race on ground that we all know is faster than he really likes.”

Longines Hong Kong Sprint (Group 1)

THE Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint went as expected, even if new sprinting star Ka Ying Rising wasn’t as dominant as he was on his last record-breaking run.

He overcame difficulties at the start from a wide draw, and pressure throughout, to clinch the biggest win of his career and record his eighth successive victory in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint.

The four-year-old triumphed by half a length from Hong Kong’s Helios Express, with Japanese raider Satono Reve a short-head further away in third place. He was the shortest-priced favourite in the history of the race.

Purton, who has now won the Longines Hong Kong Sprint four times, said afterwards:

“Something lunged at the gate just before he went and it took his mind off it and he turned his head, so he was a little bit slow to step. And then Victor The Winner just bored my neck the whole way and he never quite relaxed.”

Purton also said Ka Ying Rising jumped something in the straight, which distracted the four-year-old, who improved his overall record to nine wins from 11 starts.

“He wasn’t at his best today and is better than this and still got the job done,” Purton said.

It was David Hayes’ first Group 1 victory since his return to the Hong Kong training ranks four years ago.

Hayes will wait to see how his rising star recovers before deciding on his next assignment.

“We’ll see how he pulls up, but the initial one will be the Group 1 sprint in late January, then after that, we’ll make a decision whether we go to the (Hong Kong Classic) mile or not.

“That was probably the least exciting to the eye, but I know that was a great win because he did pull.”

Ka Ying Rising’s long-term plan is the world’s richest turf race, The Everest at Randwick next October.

Longines Hong Kong Mile (Group 1)

VOYAGE Bubble sealed his status as Hong Kong’s premier miler, with a victory in the Longines Hong Kong Mile under James McDonald for trainer Ricky Yiu.

Second to Golden Sixty last season, Voyage Bubble followed his Jockey Club Mile triumph last month, holding off opposition from Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, France and Britain. The success is Voyage Bubble’s second at Group 1 level after winning January’s HK$13 million Group 1 Stewards’ Cup.

“He’s a great horse in his own right. He felt excellent going to the gates today – he was really on the job. Credit to Ricky and his team – they’ve prepped him up beautifully,” McDonald said. “He has a very big heart and he’s very uncomplicated.”

Settled on the speed, Voyage Bubble jostled for the lead with Beauty Eternal, before leaving Zac Purton’s mount at the head of the field. Asked the question with 350m to run, Voyage Bubble responded as Soul Rush unleashed a late challenge.

Japan’s Soul Rush took second, ahead of Beauty Joy as Voyage Bubble savoured victory by one and a quarter lengths. Yiu said: “Mentally, he is a lot more mature. He’s very smart and he’s developed. Out of all of jockeys who have won on him, James knows him the best and the draw (five) helped him. The way the race was run suited him.”

THE Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges lauded the 2024 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races as “one of the best days of racing” in Hong Kong racing history.

“I personally think it was one of the best, if not the best, Longines Hong Kong International Races and an incredible week. Today, we hoped to create a highlight and I personally think everything went to perfection,” he said.

Reporting Tom Peacock, Daryl Timms, Declan Schuster, Scott Burton