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South China Morning Post
16 hours ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Voyage Bubble attracts Ascot invite but connections stick to local plans
Voyage Bubble's historic Triple Crown triumph prompted Ascot officials to invite the Hong Kong superstar to run in July's Group One King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,406m), but connections have knocked back the offer. Voyage Bubble gained international attention for his stunning Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) victory last month, which saw him become the first horse in 31 years and second all time to claim Hong Kong's Triple Crown. The Deep Field gelding demolished his rivals by three and a half lengths to cap an outstanding campaign that also featured Group One successes in the Hong Kong Mile, Stewards' Cup (1,600m) and Gold Cup (2,000m). While Ricky Yiu Poon-fai was honoured to receive the invite for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the veteran trainer said he wouldn't be swayed from his plan to race Voyage Bubble in Hong Kong and not return overseas. UNBELIEVABLE! 🤯 31 years since River Verdon won the #TripleCrown for the first time, Hong Kong has a second winner of the series in Voyage Bubble, who makes light work of his Champions & Chater Cup rivals... 🏆🏆🏆@WorldPool | @mcacajamez | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 25, 2025 'He's not going,' Yiu said. 'I don't think [he will race overseas again]. He's not young any more. 'He pulled up brilliant from his last run. He just went up to Conghua [on Wednesday] and he'll have four weeks of easy time there.' Voyage Bubble's two international raids went awry last year. He copped interference from a fallen horse at a crucial stage when an unlucky 10th in the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) at Meydan before failing to handle racing in the anticlockwise direction when 17th behind Romantic Warrior in the Group One Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) at Tokyo racecourse. A leading contender for Hong Kong Horse of the Year honours along with Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, Voyage Bubble is likely to be set for 2,000m features such as the Group One Hong Kong Cup and Group One QE II Cup next season. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. While Romantic Warrior's future remains clouded after he underwent fetlock surgery last week, December's Hong Kong Cup could feature a blockbuster clash between Voyage Bubble and star Australian mare Via Sistina. Brilliant mare! Via Sistina equals Winx's record of seven Group 1 wins in a season with victory over Dubai Honour in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 12, 2025 A Hong Kong trip last December was mooted for Via Sistina before eventually being ruled out, but connections have already put it on the agenda for the end of this year. 'That is definitely a possibility,' Yulong Investments chief operating officer Sam Fairgray told Australian radio station RSN. 'Mr Zhang [Yuesheng] would love to be able to take her there and take on the internationals. That's definitely high on the cards for her.' Via Sistina racked up seven Group One victories for trainer Chris Waller this season, with her record-breaking eight-length blitz in the Cox Plate (2,040m) at Moonee Valley the highlight. Meanwhile, Yiu will be represented by a squad of seven runners at Sha Tin on Sunday as he bids to consolidate third place in the trainers' championship. Ricky Yiu heads to Sha Tin on Sunday with a seven-strong team. Ahren shapes as the 67-year-old's best chance after recording a dominant win at start three and an agonisingly close second to Call Me Glorious last start. However, Ahren clashes with another promising three-year-old, Jimmy Ting Koon-ho's unbeaten Little Paradise, in the Class Three Tin Wan Handicap (1,200m). 'His biggest contender is Jimmy Ting's horse. They are the top two,' Yiu said. Miracle Fighter, The Concentration, Etalon Or, Drala, Dragon Joy and Jolly Ruler are the other weekend runners for Yiu, who has prepared 48 winners this term.
South China Morning Post
25-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
‘Genius' Voyage Bubble bags Triple Crown with remarkable Champions & Chater Cup success
Ricky Yiu Poon-fai's dreams came true at Sha Tin on Sunday as Voyage Bubble snared the Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) and became just the second winner of Hong Kong's illustrious Triple Crown. It was a sparkling performance from the now five-time top-level scorer, who always travelled ominously well in midfield under James McDonald. The race began in earnest when Zac Purton made a back-straight move on Ensued, which saw him range up alongside Dubai Honour and long-time leader Moments In Time and force the pace forward. Off the turn, it was Dubai Honour and Ensued who went on, but the eye was always drawn to Voyage Bubble, who surged to the front doing cartwheels at the 300m pole and drew off to win by as far as he pleased ahead of Rubylot, who charged into second late on. UNBELIEVABLE! 🤯 31 years since River Verdon won the #TripleCrown for the first time, Hong Kong has a second winner of the series in Voyage Bubble, who makes light work of his Champions & Chater Cup rivals... 🏆🏆🏆@WorldPool | @mcacajamez | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 25, 2025 Trainer Yiu was on cloud nine after his superstar became only the second winner of the Triple Crown, with Voyage Bubble bagging the HK$10 million bonus 31 years after River Verdon's historic first. 'Dreams came true – since I won the first two legs of the Triple Crown I started dreaming. Now today, dreams have come true. It's amazing,' said Yiu about a horse who has long been close to his heart. 'I was so worried that I couldn't buy him. I didn't have enough money to buy him and couldn't afford him. I rang up Hong Kong to get a better budget as I didn't want to lose him – it was love at first sight. 'The closer I looked at the race today, the closer I thought he would have a winning chance – he's done so well and his preparation was so good. 'I didn't want to tie [James McDonald] up with any riding instructions – he could just press the button and go.' The memories of Voyage Bubble's $1.6 defeat in the Group One Champions Mile (1,600m) are long in the wing mirrors, with the extra distance looking crucial to him now. For Yiu, his future looks to be beyond the mile, which could see him clash with Romantic Warrior in a mouth-watering rematch. 'He's pure athletic, if you look at him you can tell he's a high-class racehorse,' said Yiu. 'He's performed from a sprint to the maximum distance in Hong Kong – he's a genius. 'When we first ran him over 1,200m and 1,400m it was like a game for him. This is a real task. The 2,000m or even more seems to be an easier task for him. He won by a big margin over those trips – with a mile it's slightly competitive for him.' It was not just Yiu who was left in dreamland, with jockey McDonald also feeling spellbound by his superstar partner. 'I'm so lucky to be riding him and he's just a brilliant racehorse. He just does everything you ask of him and he's so willing. He was on song today and I just felt very lucky to be riding him. He's just such a star,' said McDonald. 'I couldn't have dreamed of it panning out as well as that – that's once in a blue moon. The stars aligned and with that sort of run, he was always going to be hard to beat. He was going to be hard to beat even without such a good run, but it all worked out. 'He just switches off and allows himself to get the distance so well and I just want to pay credit to the Yiu stable – they've done a remarkable job with this horse. 'It's a great training effort – a mile to 2,400m. They're absolutely incredible. They've got a champion racehorse on their hands and he deserves all the accolades he gets. It's awesome. I'm very proud of him.'
South China Morning Post
24-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Tom Marquand up for the fight as Dubai Honour aims to halt Voyage Bubble's bid for history
The 27-year-old is hoping to break his Group One duck in Hong Kong on the four-time top-level scorer Tom Marquand has huge respect for Triple Crown-seeking Voyage Bubble but thinks Dubai Honour has the right credentials to give the United Kingdom back-to-back wins in Sunday's Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin. Marquand and Dubai Honour are yet to win a top-level prize back home but the pair come alive when sent abroad, winning three Group Ones in Sydney and another in France. The Pride Of Dubai galloper finished second in December's Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) and has remained in career-best form since, landing the Group One Tancred Stakes at Rosehill (2,400m) on April 1. Just 11 days later, Dubai Honour ran a mighty race to finish second to superstar mare Via Sistina in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) and after a month's breather back in the UK, he is back on the road. It's a matter of honour! 👏@WilliamHaggas and @TomMarquand do it again with Dubai Honour who pops another Australian G1 on his shelf with a win in the Tancred Stakes!@aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 1, 2025 Marquand reports the galloper to be in rude health as he prepares to emulate Rebel's Romance and win the Champions & Chater Cup for the raiders. 'I haven't been massively involved with him since his last run but Issy Paul is basically world-renowned for looking after him now – she does an amazing job,' said Marquand. 'Physically and mentally he's been doing really well and she's happy with him. That's obviously exactly what I want to be hearing. The travelling never affects him now – he's an older gelding so it doesn't faze him. 'He's got that attitude that makes it that much more straightforward – travelling is not an easy thing to do for the horses so it makes our life a lot easier.' Affectionately known as 'Aussie Tom' for his exploits Down Under, 18-time Group One hero Marquand is yet to bag a big one in Hong Kong, but Dubai Honour is in the form of his life and could be the horse to set the record straight. Voyage Bubble, who bids to become just the second horse to win the Hong Kong Triple Crown, is set to be a huge thorn in his side, though Marquand is looking to Rebel's Romance's performance last year to help with any doubts. 'It's been amazing really, to say he's in the form of his life would probably be fair,' said Marquand. 'The mile-and-a-half trip is definitely more his gig now and there was no disgrace going down to a mare of Via Sistina's calibre last start over a trip that was inadequate for him these days. 'With his racing style and the way he's matured – and the way he can switch off during his races – the mile and a half has just become perfect for him. The champ Via Sistina claims the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes with ease, equalling Winx's record of 7 Group 1's in a season! 🤩 What a mare!@cwallerracing | @mcacajamez | @YulongInvest | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025 'At the top level, you need everything in your favour and no chinks in your armour, and he needs the trip for that to be the case. 'We're hoping that the stamina element could be the difference between winning and losing for us. Rebel's Romance showed last year that it can be and you need those advantages going up against a horse like Voyage Bubble.' The promotional material has billed the race as an epic clash between one of Hong Kong's best and a foreign raider poised to spoil his big moment, with Voyage Bubble on the edge of something historic. And although Marquand has the utmost respect for Voyage Bubble, he has every faith that his partner can do the business come Sunday. CLASS PREVAILS! 🙌 Aiming to become the second horse to win Hong Kong's #TripleCrown after River Verdon in 1993/94, Voyage Bubble captures the second leg - @Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup - with @mcacajamez at Sha Tin... 🏆@WorldPool | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 23, 2025 'I think he's probably the one to beat. At the trip, he's the one you know that will stay and is proven at it at the highest level,' said Marquand. 'That said, you can't forget a horse like Voyage Bubble – he's a horse who performs at a high level all the time and class can stretch a horse through. It would be very naive to think that the distance alone will get him beat. 'Being involved in these types of races is a lot of fun, I – and Dubai Honour, too – have been lucky to clash against some proper champions. It's not quite as fun when you're not winning them, but it's still an enjoyable thing having a horse that's up for the challenge to take on these types of races. 'Dubai Honour and Voyage Bubble are the talking horses and the ones to beat based on the level of form they bring and the consistency. 'You can never forget a Hong Kong Derby winner like Cap Ferrat but I just think the fact these boys can boast top-level form on multiple occasions is what sets them apart and makes them such an attractive match-up.'
South China Morning Post
22-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
The Champions & Chater Cup by the numbers
Rebel's Romance becomes the first overseas winner of the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m). Photo: Kenneth Chan The final Group One of the Hong Kong season is not always the most thrilling of elite-level contests but the scene is certainly set for a bumper 2025 edition of the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m). With big-name globetrotter Dubai Honour in town and Voyage Bubble alive in the Triple Crown, fans are expecting fireworks at Sha Tin on Sunday. Here's the race by the numbers: 1 – The number of horses to have started the Champions & Chater Cup alive in the Triple Crown since River Verdon completed the coveted sweep in 1994. After wins in the Group One Stewards' Cup (1,600m) and Group One Gold Cup (2,000m), Ambitious Dragon fell just short of Triple Crown glory in 2012, running second to Liberator by a length and a half. Golden Sixty twice did the Stewards' Cup-Gold Cup double but never made the step out to 12 furlongs. All-time LEGEND of Hong Kong racing! 🧡 The trailblazing River Verdon is the city's only #TripleCrown winner in history, completing the stamina testing three-race challenge in 1993/94... 🏆🏆🏆#FlashbackFriday | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 16, 2025 10 – The number of gallopers expected to run in this weekend's Group One, which would be the race's equal-biggest field in the past 20 years. While 12 gallopers were entered for the contest, Dennis Yip Chor-hong removed Noisy Boy early this week, not wanting to run his Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) runner-up off a rating of just 86, and Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained dirt specialist Sword Point came out on Wednesday. 5 – Cap Ferrat is looking to join the quintet of horses to have done the Hong Kong Derby-Champions & Chater Cup double in the same season since Hong Kong racing turned professional in the early 1970s. If the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained Cap Ferrat can back up his March victory in the city's most prestigious race, he will join Co-Tack (1983), River Verdon (1991), Makarpura Star (1995), Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and Viva Pataca (2006) in completing the increasingly rare double. After delivering the goods in the Derby, Australian jockey Craig Williams again jets in to partner Cap Ferrat. HISTORY AT SHA TIN! 👏👏@CWilliamsJockey wins the 148th @BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard Cap Ferrat for trainer Francis Lui over a fast-closing My Wish... #4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 3 – The number of seconds Romantic Warrior ran during the 2023 Triple Crown, trailing Golden Sixty home in the first two legs before being pipped by Russian Emperor in the finale. There will be a Romantic Warrior flavour at Sha Tin this Sunday, however, with the Jockey Club putting on a welcome home ceremony for the 10-time Group One winner after his three-race campaign in the Middle East. In town to partner Voyage Bubble, James McDonald will sit atop Romantic Warrior as he parades for fans at 3.10pm. 6 – Barrier stats are always going to be skewed for a race prone to small fields but for what it's worth, gate one has provided the most Champions & Chater Cup winners since 1995 with six. Barriers four and seven follow close behind with five winners, while no other alley has thrown up more than three victors. It's the visitor, Dubai Honour, who jumps from the inside stall on Sunday, while Ensued has gate four and Cap Ferrat seven. Winning Dragon looks the potential leader from the outside alley of 10, while Voyage Bubble is poised to get the dream run from stall three. Rebel's Romance is just too good! The boys in blue land the @StanChart Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin... 🏆 #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 26, 2024 1 – On storming to victory in the race a year ago, Rebel's Romance became the first overseas winner of the Champions & Chater Cup. After running second behind Giavellotto in December's Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), Dubai Honour looks very well placed to become the second. Overseas fixed-odds markets have local hero Voyage Bubble a $1.65 favourite and Dubai Honour a $2.75 second elect. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. 3 – Group One wins by Voyage Bubble this season. A fourth this weekend would put Ricky Yiu Poon-fai's superstar firmly in the Hong Kong Horse of the Year conversation alongside Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior.
South China Morning Post
15-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Andrea Atzeni hoping Bundle Award can complete historic 2,400m double in Champions & Chater Cup
Andrea Atzeni will be hoping Bundle Award can become the first horse to parlay Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) success into Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) glory in the same season when he jumps aboard the progressive galloper for the first time next weekend. Victorious under Zac Purton in the recent Queen Mother Memorial Cup, the John Size-trained Bundle Award will join forces with Atzeni after Purton opted to lock in the ride aboard stablemate Ensued for the final Group One of the Hong Kong season. 'It's a good ride to get,' said Atzeni. 'He's a horse that stays the trip and he's only young. He's done nothing wrong so far and it's a really good ride. 'He won over the mile and a half the last day. I know they didn't go really quick and it turned into a bit of a sprint, but in these mile and a half races they never go a gallop here anyway, so it could set up very similarly and he's a horse who has quite a bit of speed. Stayer on the rise? 👀 Bundle Award outstays rivals to win the six-runner G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup over 2400m for @zpurton and John Size at Sha Tin! 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 'He stays but he's got quite a bit of pace, so if it turns into a bit of a sprint like it did the last day, it will suit him.' Atzeni will have his first sit on Bundle Award in a Sha Tin dirt trial on Friday morning, with superstar miler Voyage Bubble and Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) winner Cap Ferrat also using the 1,200m hit-out as a stepping stone to the Champions & Chater Cup. Voyage Bubble, who is looking to sweep the Hong Kong Triple Crown, and British raider Dubai Honour shape as the horses to beat come May 25. 'Voyage Bubble has got to step up in trip, which is obviously a question mark, but with the class that he has, he probably doesn't need to stay to win it,' said Atzeni. The champ Via Sistina claims the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes with ease, equalling Winx's record of 7 Group 1's in a season! 🤩 What a mare!@cwallerracing | @mcacajamez | @YulongInvest | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025 'Dubai Honour gets this trip very well and last time behind Via Sistina [in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) at Randwick], although he had a bit of a tough trip, he never gave up and kept going all the way to the line. He's a very smart horse.' Triumphant aboard the improving Crimson Flash at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, Italian jockey Atzeni heads to Sha Tin this Sunday with a full book of 10 rides as he chases the one victory he requires to notch a century of Hong Kong successes. Ng shows signs of life Pierre Ng Pang-chi was another to taste success at the city circuit's midweek meeting and it was a much-needed breakthrough for the third-season trainer. A runaway leader in the trainers' title for much of last season before being pipped by Francis Lui Kin-wai at a pulsating season finale, Ng also hit the ground running this campaign before hitting a brick wall in recent months. After enjoying a share of the premiership lead as recently as February, Ng has slid down to eighth on the table after managing only three wins in March and one in April. Cambridge is off the mark in Hong Kong! 🤝 Formerly trained by Aidan O'Brien, the Irish import was G3-placed at @LeopardstownRC before joining Pierre Ng's stable at Sha Tin... 🇮🇪 @JerryChau15 @AtTheRaces | #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 14, 2025 The victory of Cambridge on Wednesday night was Ng's first in 65 runners and six weeks – the longest drought among the training ranks. While it's well known how difficult it is to contend for titles in consecutive seasons in Hong Kong as horses rise through the ratings to unsustainable marks, Ng's drop off in form has been an alarming one. It will be interesting now whether he can build some late-season momentum or if he saves most of his bullets for another title push next campaign.
