Who Is Going To Show Us They’re The Second Best Sprinter In The World?
Michael: We might be getting a little bit ahead of ourselves with this question – the Australian filly Tempted ran through her autumn campaign with three wins from as many starts, albeit in restricted company. What I most want to see is a Hong Kong sprinter stuck behind Ka Ying Rising go and tackle some overseas assignments, like Cape Of Good Hope did two decades ago when Silent Witness was dominating.
But how about Helios Express? He won the 2024 Classic Mile and Classic Cup before finishing unplaced in Massive Sovereign’s Derby. Since then he has found Ka Ying Rising waiting for him in 12 of his 14 starts. He was able to win on one occasion when Ka Ying Rising wasn’t there but has finished second to the champ eight times, including five times at Group 1 level, and third three times. It is a remarkable record in an unlucky career.
David: Satono Reve’s trainer Noriyuki Hori isn’t expecting to rock up at Sha Tin and turn the tables on Ka Ying Rising, not if his recent comments are anything to go by. But he will be expecting a big run from Japan’s number one sprinter, nonetheless. And going up against the best in the world again gives Satono Reve an opportunity to enhance his reputation ahead of further overseas endeavours – a return to Royal Ascot in June is being considered.
The seven-year-old has shown in the last year and a half that he’s among the very best turf sprinters on the planet: he was three-quarters of a length third behind Ka Ying Rising in the December 2024 G1 Hong Kong Sprint, second behind him in this race last year, and then a narrow second to Lazzat at Royal Ascot a few weeks later. He had a couple of blips thereafter when fourth in the G1 Sprinters Stakes back at home and a far below-par ninth in the December 2025 Hong Kong Sprint.
But Satono Reve heads into this test off a victory in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen – just like last year – and the impressive manner of his latest win suggests he’s not only back to his best, but perhaps better than ever. If that’s the case, connections can send him into any 1200m turf sprint in the world without fearing any rival – except Ka Ying Rising.
Luke: Fast Network. Beyond Ka Ying Rising, there is a fascinating race within the race unfolding between Dennis Yip Chor-hong’s Fast Network and Helios Express.
They have each finished ahead of the other twice in four clashes since last October’s G2 Premier Bowl and there is a fair case that Fast Network has come out of those clashes with as much credit as Helios Express. He was only a quarter of a length behind Helios Express when sixth in the Premier Bowl after jumping from gate 12 and settling near last, which arguably made it the better run of the two. He then confirmed his quality in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint, drawing barrier 2, mapping a length in front of Helios Express and getting the perfect tow into the straight on Ka Ying Rising’s back before finishing second to the champ.
Fast Network again beat Helios Express home in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, holding third after racing close to Ka Ying Rising’s strong tempo. Helios Express turned the tables in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup, but Fast Network did not begin as cleanly as usual that day and never landed in the forward spot that is so important to his chances of beating Helios Express.
What Question Do You Want Answered In The Champions Mile?
Michael: How good are Hong Kong’s four-year-olds? Derby winner Invincible Ibis and Classic Mile winner Little Paradise get a chance to answer that question. Four-year-olds don’t have a great record in the Champions Mile – granted, the absolute best of the age group usually tackle the richer FWD QEII Cup over 2000m. But even the great Able Friend could not win it – defeated on a wet track by South African star Variety Club in 2014. The last local four-year-old success was Xtension in 2011 and before that, Able One in 2007.
Hong Kong racing has been spoiled by a glut of all-time greats. Beauty Generation, Golden Sixty and now Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and even Voyage Bubble. Last year’s Derby class failed to fire, this one will need to fill a looming void, especially at 1600m and beyond.
Even though the Champions Mile is being described as the most open of the three Group 1s, Jantar Mantar is the undisputed mile king in his homeland and represents a solid benchmark for Hong Kong’s new stars.
David: Has Voyage Bubble still got it? First things first, Voyage Bubble might be third fiddle to Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising, but he has had an incredible career and his achievements should be lauded widely. He won the Classic Mile and the Hong Kong Derby as a four-year-old; he’s a two-time winner of both the G1 Hong Kong Mile and the G1 Stewards’ Cup, and last year he became only the second horse in history to win the Hong Kong Triple Crown when he took the Stewards’ Cup, the Hong Kong Gold Cup and the Champions & Chater Cup at 1600m, 2000m and 2400m.
But let’s be honest, he’s had some plain runs this season and even his trainer Ricky Yiu has suggested he would retire the seven-year-old sooner than later if he felt he wasn’t performing to his usual high level, and blinkers will be worn for the first time instead of the usual cheekpieces. He was put well in his place behind Romantic Warrior in the Stewards’ Cup, and more so behind the same rival when a flat fifth in the Hong Kong Gold Cup.
There was hope last start though, despite another defeat. His third in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy saw him beaten a length and a half by Lucky Sweynesse and the runner-up My Wish, but he carried 5lb more than both of them. Perhaps there is another big win in Voyage Bubble’s legs, but if not, he’ll leave a significant hole to fill in Hong Kong’s Group 1 tier, particularly in the mile division.
Luke: Is Hong Kong’s Mile division still up to the standard we’ve come to expect? The short answer is no. The problem is Hong Kong’s mile ranks have been littered by some outstanding horses in recent years, from Able Friend and Rapper Dragon to Beauty Generation, Golden Sixty and Voyage Bubble, so there is almost an expectation that a new star will emerge from each four-year-old classic crop. Galaxy Patch looked the one most likely to step into that role last season but hasn’t, while this season My Wish has carried a similar weight of expectation without quite delivering yet. It says Hong Kong’s mile division is still waiting for a younger horse to take control, because two seven-year-olds, Voyage Bubble and Lucky Sweynesse, are setting the standard. That longevity should be admired, but a younger horse like My Wish needs to properly announce himself on Sunday, while there is still time for Galaxy Patch to do the same.
Who Would A Champions Day Win Mean The Most For?
Luke: Jerry Chau Chun-lok. He does not have much big-race success to his name yet, with the standout win of his career still the G2 Jockey Club Sprint aboard Lucky Patch in 2021, but this season he is establishing himself as one of Hong Kong’s top jockeys. He sits fourth in the standings, is on track to claim the Tony Cruz Award as the season’s leading local rider, and now has a rare but genuine G1 opportunity aboard Ricky Yiu’s stable star Voyage Bubble.
Winning an international G1 on a horse like Voyage Bubble would be the biggest moment of Chau’s career and would open the door to more top-level opportunities.
Michael: Romantic Warrior and his legacy. This race has been billed as the toughest of one of the most extraordinary careers in the history of racing – at least on home turf. We are nearing the end of that career and a fourth FWD QEII Cup win would put an exclamation mark on it.
The QEII Cup has seen some tremendous horses contest it over the years but Masquerade Ball’s 128 rating is the highest of any overseas visitor in the last 20 years.
David: Jason Collett’s recent win in the G1 Sydney Cup was a timely fillip to his profile ahead of picking up a Champions Day ride in the G1 QEII Cup on the Japanese raider Giovanni. The talented Kiwi has established himself in the upper echelon of jockeys in the tough Sydney circuit, but now he has the opportunity to spread his name beyond his adopted home with what would be a first major outside of Australia and New Zealand.
If he can steer the outsider Giovanni to victory against such high-profile rivals as Romantic Warrior and Masquerade Ball, it would surely open up more opportunities for him on the Japan side.
What’s The Headline You’d Most Like To See?
David: “Resurrected And Reinvented: Lucky Sweynesse Wins The Champions Mile.”
A Group 1 win would cap what has already been an incredible training effort by Manfred Man to not only bring his former champion sprinter back from a serious leg injury, but re-invent him as a miler.
Michael: “Finally, a contest, and the champions prevail.” It would only be misfortune that could beat Ka Ying Rising – but it has been a long time since he has done anything but dominate. Romantic Warrior has by some measures the toughest test of his career. Both horses will start overwhelming favourites on home turf but having either horse overcome adversity would be a headline moment.
Luke: “Sha Tin silenced as Ka Ying Rising is beaten.” It is the sort of headline that is impossible to imagine. But what would it mean for racing if it did happen? It could spark more overseas interest around December’s Hong Kong Sprint, or even tempt his own connections to look beyond The Everest and test him elsewhere abroad. As good as it is to have a horse like Ka Ying Rising dominating, the sport becomes more interesting when possibilities start to open up. ∎
