Horse racing news: Royal Champion takes on Romantic Warrior, Masquerade Ball in FWD QEII Cup
Karl Burke’s Royal Champion will head to Hong Kong for a showdown with local superstar Romantic Warrior and Japanese duo Masquerade Ball and Museum Mile on FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on Sunday 26 April.
Royal Champion defeated quality opposition to win the 2026 G1 Neom Turf Cup, including Group 1 winner Facteur Cheval, and the well-travelled eight-year-old makes his way to Sha Tin to contest the HK$30 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (1m2f/2000m) in some career-best form for trainer Burke.
Horse racing news: Harry Bentley lands £1.2 million Hong Kong Classic Cup aboard Stormy Grove
Harry Bentley secured his biggest success yet in Hong Kong when delivering Stormy Grove with a sensational late run to score an upset and claim the second leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic series, the HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) Hong Kong Classic Cup (1m1f/1800m), at Sha Tin on Sunday 1 March.
The son of Toronado made it two wins in a row and landed the Hong Kong Classic Cup with a performance reminiscent of his explosive 1600m showing at Sha Tin two weeks ago, when, after being drawn 14, he surged from last to first to claim his first Hong Kong win.
Horse racing news: Zac Purton confident Voyage Bubble can rebound in G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup
Champion jockey Zac Purton says Voyage Bubble’s disappointing performance last start should be excused as he prepares to take on Romantic Warrior in the HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (1m2f/2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday 1 March.
Ricky Yiu’s seven-year-old finished a distant third to Romantic Warrior in the HK$13m (approx. £1.2m) G1 Stewards’ Cup (1 mile/1600m) last month, relinquishing the Triple Crown he claimed so spectacularly last season.
Horse racing news: Ka Ying Rising equals Silent Witness with historic G1 Centenary Sprint Cup win
Moments after Ka Ying Rising forged into Hong Kong racing history with a record-equalling win in the HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (6f/1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday 25 January, David Hayes predicted the world’s best sprinter could potentially break Sha Tin’s 1400m course record next month.
Three World Pool fixtures in three days from UAE, New Zealand and Hong Kong
World Pool will return to action with three fixtures in the space of three days on Al Maktoum Challenge Day (January 23) from the UAE and Railway Stakes Day (January 24) from New Zealand, before the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup and Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup in Hong Kong are commingled on January 25.
Horse racing news: Romantic Warrior ready for first leg of Triple Crown clash with Voyage Bubble
Romantic Warrior worked smoothly through his final piece of serious trackwork on Tuesday morning (20 January) under the cover of darkness at Sha Tin in preparation for Sunday afternoon’s (25 January) HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Stewards’ Cup (1 mile/1600m).
Gearing up for the Triple Crown’s first leg at Sha Tin, Romantic Warrior clocked an untested 1m 16.6s (27, 25.7, 23.9) under Hugh Bowman on the turf course alongside stablemate Romantic Thor, and it was much to the satisfaction of trainer Danny Shum.
Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble go head-to-head as Ka Ying Rising returns
Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble have both been entered for the HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Stewards' Cup (1 mile/1600m), while superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising is set to return in the G1 HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (6f/1200m) on 25 January at Sha Tin.
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.
Horse racing news: Joseph O’Brien upbeat about chances of Al Riffa and Galen in Hong Kong
Joseph O’Brien has never been a man to duck an international challenge as he prepares to take on three-time champion Romantic Warrior in the HK$40 million (approx. £3.8m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (1m2f/2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday 14 December.
With two Melbourne Cups and a Breeders’ Cup success already unlocked during a training career which only began in 2016, O’Brien pitches the unheralded Galen into white-hot competition.
Horse racing news: Hong Kong International Races – Al Riffa tops Timeform ratings in G1 Hong Kong Vase
With the Hong Kong International Races 2025 this Sunday, Timeform can reveal the four horses who top the ratings for each of the four Group 1 races.
The Hong Kong Cup should be the highlight on the card, being the most valuable of the races, and it may well see history made with Romantic Warrior bidding to become the first four-time winner at the fixture.
Romantic Warrior dazzles with return success in G2 Jockey Club Cup
Romantic Warrior made a triumphant return to racing at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 November) as he sauntered to an emphatic victory in the HK$5.35 million (approx. £525,000) G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (1m2f/2000m) for jockey James McDonald and trainer Danny Shum.