Hong Kong heroes Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble star at Sha Tin

Hong Kong’s big three, Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble turned on the style at the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, all successfully defending their Group 1 crowns from 12 months ago.

Romantic Warrior headed further into folklore with an unprecedented fourth straight victory in the HK$40 million (approx. £3.8m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (1m2f/2000m).

It was a performance that the fans lining the rails sporting the champion’s light blue colours would have expected as James McDonald steered his mount a convincing length and three-quarters ahead of Bellagio Opera.

Hong Kong International Sale graduate Romantic Warrior has now reached a tally of 11 Group 1s in four different jurisdictions. Just short of his eighth birthday, he does not seem to be stopping any time soon.

Winning trainer Danny Shum took a brief moment to write down the final result in his racebook before he was descended upon by well-wishers.

“I’m very proud of Romantic Warrior and our stable team, they work really hard,” Shum said. “It’s a big relief. He always gives me a lot of happiness, not only me but my stable, owners, my family and in Hong Kong, even racing fans or non-racing fans, they all love Romantic Warrior.

“To be honest, there was a lot of pressure. He had his surgery (when a screw was inserted in his left front leg at the end of May), but he is such a good, calm, lovely horse. He’s part of my family, I love him. My son says I love Romantic Warrior more than him!

“He’s very easy to train. He doesn’t need too much work and his body weight will tell you, his appetite will tell you how fit he is.”

McDonald, however, was almost lost for words in the immediate aftermath. “He’s so special, he’s so special,” he said. “He’s just a freak. I don’t know what to say … I just love him. I love him.”

Romantic Warrior was already the only horse to have won this race three times since it was first staged in 1988, even before adding a fourth. He is likely to now be geared towards another face-off with Forever Young, who he had pushed all the way to the line in that famous G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) showdown earlier this year.

Shum, however, will wait for the go-ahead from the gelding’s owner, Peter Lau, before committing to plans.

“I always say, we know he’s turning eight really soon, but he doesn’t know he’s turning eight,” he said.

“This is amazing. He’s been in Australia, Japan, Dubai, second in the biggest prize money in the world in Saudi (Arabia). Also second in the Dubai Turf. He’s come back and had two wins.

“The plan is always made by the owner, Peter. He has wisdom, we all trust him. If he says, ‘Danny, go to Saudi Arabia’, I’ll go to Saudi Arabia. If he says, ‘Danny stay in Hong Kong’, I'll stay in Hong Kong. We’re a good team, I trust Peter a lot.”

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Ka Ying Rising in a league of his own in G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint

Ka Ying Rising, the world’s best sprinter, stands on the brink of Hong Kong racing immortality after stretching his consecutive winning streak to 16 with an imperious victory in the HK$28 million (approx. £2.7m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (6f/1200m).

The gelding secured his sixth Group 1 victory to match the mighty Golden Sixty’s feat of posting 16 straight wins to be now only one short of Hong Kong, China’s record of 17, held by Silent Witness, and enhanced his own record to 17 wins and two seconds from 19 starts with prize money of HK$122.5 million (approx. £11.7m).

Purton said Ka Ying Rising’s performance was what everyone wanted to see.

“His last run showed us that it was on the cards today,” he said. “He drew the right gate, and when the barrier came out, they said, ‘What do you think?’ And I said he would win by further.

“He is just in a league of his own now. And not having to do that extra work into the first corner from a wide gate to try and get forward, probably helped him.

Purton said Ka Ying Rising travelled beautifully throughout the race, and he just made sure he gave him his chance.

Declaring Ka Ying Rising the best horse he has trained, David Hayes said he was relieved the five-year-old gelding didn’t let the stable or the public’s expectations down.

“He was just superb today,” he said. “The messages he was sending the week of the race suggested he’d do something like that. We are not running fast times today but he did – (running) a lot faster than the other races.”

Hayes said he hoped the six-time Group 1 winner had another 20 races in him.

He said every time Ka Ying Rising races, there was something significant he had to do, including his next two starts when he aims to equal and then break Silent Witness’ winning streak.

“He is a lot heavier and stronger now, so physically he is really improving and it is showing on the track,” Hayes said.

 “The great thing about him is that he doesn’t have to lead. Today Zac wanted to take all of the risk out of it so he could get off the fence and that is another string to his bow.”

Hayes said Ka Ying Rising would be again set for Hong Kong’s Speed Series, and it would be fun to see him stretch out to 1400m like last year.

“It will then be the big international sprint here and then he’ll be going to The Everest,” he said. “Let’s just hope he is sound and well and if he is in the form he was today, we’d love to take those Aussies on again.”

Hayes predicted Ka Ying Rising will soon beat his Sha Tin 1200m track record of 1m 07.20.

“Zac has been easing him down in his past couple of races,” he said. “He probably ran about 20 lengths quicker than the Class 3 and the Class 4 (1200m), which he probably should.”

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Voyage Bubble defends G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile

Voyage Bubble proved he more than belonged on the billing for the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races alongside two greats when a herculean winner of the HK$36 million (approx. £3.5m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) under Zac Purton, fighting off the challenge of Soul Rush at the finish.

“I think he just showed what type of horse he is,” Purton said. “He’s not the horse who is going to give you a ‘wow’ performance, but he’s got such a big heart that he’s always up for the fight.

“He’s in the shadow of the big two, unfortunately, but in his own right, he’s a supremely good horse. A Triple Crown winner, he’s come back today off the canvas to win.

“When we reflect back upon all the great horses that have been in Hong Kong, he’s certainly going to be remembered in the way that he should. His CV is outstanding. To come out and go back-to-back in the Hong Kong Mile, it’s not an easy thing to do.” 

Trainer Ricky Yiu praised Voyage Bubble’s attitude and tenacity, even now as a seven-year-old.

“The horse has great heart,” Yiu said. “A lot of credit goes to the jockey, Zac, he did it so well. It seemed to me that he’d ridden the horse for a long time, but obviously, he knew him well from his last start.

“Although he’s seven, I don’t really feel the age of him. He’s still full of beans.”

Hong Kong racing returns at Happy Valley on Wednesday, December 17.

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Feature image credit: HKJC