No Rebel's Romance but Stellenbosch among overseas Champions & Chater Cup entries
Voyage Bubble remains on track for the race but could face a stern challenge from the foreign contingent
Rebel's Romance will not defend his Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) crown but three overseas runners could provide a difficult challenge for the locals.
Godolphin's star globetrotter left Five G Patch and La City Blanche trailing when hosing up in the race 12 months ago but there could still be British interest in the race thanks to Dubai Honour.
William Haggas' three-time Australian Group One winner was last seen in Hong Kong finishing second to Giavellotto in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), where he was ahead of another potential raider – Stellenbosch.
Rebel's Romance is just too good! The boys in blue land the @StanChart Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin... 🏆 #HKracing pic.twitter.com/iEgGm1Ow7y — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 26, 2024
That rival was the $3.2 favourite for the race and the Japanese filly will need to bounce back from a disappointing return in the Group One Osaka Hai (2,200m) at Hanshin.
Should she return to the form of her win in the Group One Oka Sho (2,000m) or her second in the Group One Yushun Himba (2,400m), she would be very difficult to beat for trainer Sakae Kunieda.
The fly in the ointment could be the Joseph O'Brien-trained Al Riffa, winner of the Group One Grosser Preis von Berlin (2,400m) and second to Epsom Derby winner City Of Troy in the Group One Eclipse Stakes (2,200m) at Sandown last year.
He has done his fair share of travelling in his short career and is versatile to all surfaces, so would not mind if any rain came – as can be the case.
Hong Kong's biggest hope is set to be Voyage Bubble, who is aiming to sweep the Hong Kong Triple Crown after wins in the Group One Stewards' Cup (1,600m) and the Hong Kong Gold Cup (2,000m) this season.
He suffered a shock defeat in Sunday's Champions Mile at Sha Tin when unable to get past the gutsy Red Lion, who upstaged him at 89-1 odds for trainer John Size.
The step up in distance raises question marks about Ricky Yiu Poon-fai's six-year-old, who is yet to go past the 2,000m distance in his career to date.
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