Calandagan, Docklands and Royal Champion headline European entry for FWD Champions Day
Calandagan, Docklands and Royal Champion are among 14 European horses entered for FWD Champions Day on Sunday, 26 April at Sha Tin – all seeking the opportunity to race for the record HK$78 million (approx. £7.5 million) in prizemoney across three of world racing’s premier contests in Hong Kong.
Representing connections from around the globe, 101 horses, including 23 individual Group 1 winners, will be considered for spots in the HK$30 million (approx. £2.9m) G1 FWD QEII Cup (1m2f/2000m), HK$24 (approx. £2.3m) million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1 mile/1600m) and HK$24 million (approx. £2.3m) G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (6f/1200m) – with each race limited to 14 runners.
Calandagan – 2025 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse – holds an entry for the HK$30 million (approx. £2.9m) G1 FWD QEII Cup along with Sosie, who could return to Sha Tin for the first time since his win in the 2025 HK$26 million (approx. £2.5m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.
Karl Burke’s Royal Champion is also entered for the QEII Cup after the nine-time winner blitzed opposition in the 2026 G1 Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia on his latest start.
A multiple Group 1 winner also entered in the QEII Cup is William Haggas’ Dubai Honour, who has run five times at Sha Tin in the past, including twice in this race when finishing third in 2023 and seventh in 2024, on both occasions behind Romantic Warrior.
Haggas also has Caviar Heights entered, while the British entry is completed by Dividend, Fort George and Survive.
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They face the monumental task of trying to dethrone Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior, who has already achieved what no other horse has done by winning three FWD QEII Cups. Hong Kong racing’s only 13-time Group 1 winner returns this year seeking an unprecedented fourth FWD QEII Cups to add to his glittering CV after wins in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Romantic Warrior could face some of his toughest opposition to date in this year’s renewal, including 2025 G1 Tenno Sho Autumn winner Masquerade Ball, who was second to Calandagan in the 2025 G1 Japan Cup on his last start, while third from the Japan Cup – Group 1 winner Danon Decile – is also entered.
Japan’s Museum Mile also holds an entry. One of world racing’s hottest talents, winning two Group 1 races from his initial 10 starts, including the G1 Arima Kinen last December, he also won the 2025 G1 Satsuki Sho emphatically ahead of Masquerade Ball.
Harry Eustace’s Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Docklands is entered for the HK$24 (approx. £2.3m) million G1 FWD Champions Mile, aiming to return after finishing fourth in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile last year.
Docklands could be joined by Karl Burke’s Holloway Boy and the Ed Dunlop-trained Skukuza, while Irish trainer Donnacha O’Brien has entered Comanche Brave and France could be represented by the Christophe Ferland-trained duo No Lunch and Silius.
A four-time Group 1-winning miler, Japan’s Jantar Mantar will bid to end Hong Kong’s domination of the FWD Champions Mile, which has been won by a locally trained galloper since 2017.
Second to Jantar Mantar in the 2025 G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) and 2025 G1 Mile Championship (1600m), Gaia Force will also make his way to Sha Tin for a second time after finishing ninth in the FWD Champions Mile last year.
First and second, respectively, in the 2026 G1 The All-Star Mile (1600m), Australia’s Tom Kitten and Evaporate, could both venture to Sha Tin for the FWD Champions Mile.
Hong Kong Triple Crown (2024/25) hero Voyage Bubble – a six-time Group 1 winner at Sha Tin – is aiming to go one better than his second in last year’s FWD Champions Mile to Red Lion, who also returns in a bid to defend his crown.
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The home side’s entry features five individual Group 1 winners. In addition, Helios Express, second to Ka Ying Rising in five Group 1 races, returns along with four-time Group 1 winner Lucky Sweynesse, who this year steps up in distance to contest the FWD Champions Mile following his brilliant second to Romantic Warrior in the G1 Stewards’ Cup in January.
Galaxy Patch and My Wish also feature in the FWD Champions Mile, while Fast Network tackles Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
Record-breaking Ka Ying Rising chases a ninth Group 1 win in the HK$24 million (approx. £2.3m) G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize as the top-rated horse ahead of Romantic Warrior in the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, Ka Ying Rising is the current 1200m course record-holder (1m 07.20s) at Sha Tin.
Ka Ying Rising could face a familiar foe in Japan’s Satono Reve, who may return to Sha Tin for a fourth time, having already placed behind David Hayes’ sprinting sensation in two Group 1 races. Lugal, winner of the 2024 G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m), could join him.
Australia has a strong entry for this year’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize, including Group 1 winners Tropicus, Beiwacht and Lady Of Camelot, as well as the Chris Waller-trained young gun Angel Capital who has five wins from 13 starts. The promising galloper has placed in two Group 1 races, including a third to Caballus in the 2026 G1 Newmarket Handicap this month.
Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “We are thrilled with the outstanding quality of entries from around the world for FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin – including 23 individual Group 1 winners coming up against our champions Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior.
“Ka Ying Rising is a phenomenal world-class talent. He is the globe’s leading sprinter, and seemingly every time he steps out, he delivers incredible performances. If he manages to win the Sprint Cup on 6 April, then he will chase even more history on FWD Champions Day by aiming to become the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win 20 consecutive races.
“Our global champion Romantic Warrior continues to excel on the world stage – he is now our only 13-time Group 1 winner, and he will seek a record-extending fourth win in the FWD QEII Cup, but he will do so potentially against high-class opposition – including Group 1 winners Masquerade Ball, Museum Mile, Royal Champion while Calandagan also has the option to race. Overall, we are immensely excited ahead of another wonderful staging of our spring flagship meeting, and we look forward to an outstanding day of elite international racing.
FWD Champions Day – Entries
