My Wish has soared through the grades this season and fellow five-year-old Rubylot (124lb) is aiming to hop in the hot-shot’s slipstream when he features in Sunday’s (9 November) HK$4.2 million G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin.
My Wish and Rubylot each won a leg of last season’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series; the former has begun the 2025/26 campaign with wins in the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) and HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m).
Rubylot bested My Wish in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), and trainer David Hayes hopes the Rubick gelding can make a big impression in one of Hong Kong’s most revered races – the Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse, first run in 1846.
Hayes, who won the contest in 2001 with Prime Witness, said: “They’ve been good gradual build-up runs. He’s got blinkers on for the first time, which I think is a big plus. And he gets a tongue tie – he got his tongue over the bit the other day, so I think you can see massive improvement. Probably his best performance has come over 1800 (metres).”
An earner of HK$19.89 million with six wins from 24 starts, Rubylot – who jumps from gate 14 on Sunday – was a fast-closing second in May’s HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) behind Triple Crown hero Voyage Bubble.
Hayes expects the bay to contest the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) before targeting either the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) or HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on 14 December.
“I’m expecting a pretty competitive run. He won the Classic Cup over the distance, and he beat My Wish then, so it’s good form. It’s a very competitive race, and I want to see a good run. He’ll run in this and then the lead-up race (on 23 November),” Hayes said.
After departing quarantine on Tuesday (4 November), Ka Ying Rising, winner of October’s G1 The Everest (1200m) in Sydney, Australia, will next run in the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) on 23 November.
“He’s out of quarantine and his weight is exactly the same as when he won the (Class 1 HKSAR) Chief Executive’s Cup (1200m, Handicap). If he was well below his weight, I would have dodged it, but I think he needs a run,” Hayes said.
Ka Ying Rising is currently two wins from equalling Golden Sixty’s 16-race unbeaten streak and three short of Silent Witness’ Hong Kong record 17 straight successes.
Frankie Lor is represented by Happy Together (129lb) and Sword Point (124lb) in Sunday’s Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse. Lor won the race in 2022 with Money Catcher.
“Alexis (Badel) is back on (Happy Together). Alexis rides this horse really well because he knows the horse. He needs to keep rolling, so when the winner (My Wish) sprinted, he could not sprint with him (last start). He takes time to pick up,” Lor said.
Encountered (115lb), winner of the 2023 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse, makes his third start for Brett Crawford and will become the trainer’s first runner in a Hong Kong Group race.
“In my opinion, he’s in really good form. I’m really happy with him, he’s had a good prep leading into this race. My only little concern, I hope the ground isn’t too firm for him,” Crawford said.
Beauty Joy (135lb), Chancheng Glory (132lb), Cap Ferrat (127lb), Moments In Time (127lb), Sunlight Power (126lb), Ensued (125lb), Massive Sovereign (124lb), Bundle Award (123lb), Pray For Mir (122lb) and Californiatotality (115lb) also feature.
Sunday’s (9 November) 10-race Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Day fixture at Sha Tin begins at 1pm with the Class 5 L’Oreal Paris Handicap (1600m).
By Declan Schuster
