By Scott Bailey
A cool 17 degrees greeted Sha Tin as the Hong Kong International Race Day began to take shape, the kind of crisp December air that sharpens both form lines and anticipation. Long before the first runners were saddled, the crowd was already rolling through the gates, drawn not just by four world-class Group 1s, but by the sense that this was a global sporting occasion in full voice.
The parade ring became the early focal point as K-Pop superstar Rain took to the stage, performing in front of a packed parade ring that blended racing diehards with fans who had come to see one of Asia’s biggest music icons. It was a uniquely Hong Kong moment — elite international racing intersecting seamlessly with pop culture — and it set the tone for a day designed to showcase the sport on a world stage.
As Rain’s performance echoed around the course, the scale of the HKIR was impossible to ignore. Owners, trainers and jockeys from every major racing jurisdiction mingled with local fans, cameras flashing as silks from Japan, Europe, Australia and beyond began to appear. It was the calm before the storm, a brief window where the atmosphere felt celebratory rather than competitive, even with millions in prize money and global bragging rights at stake.
Attention now turns firmly to the track, where four Group 1 contests promise drama, depth and genuine international intrigue. The Hong Kong Vase, Sprint, Mile and Cup each bring together champions and challengers, proven local stars and overseas raiders looking to conquer one of the toughest racing circuits in the world. Every race feels like its own feature event, yet together they form a showcase unmatched anywhere else on the calendar.
With the temperature cool, the turf prepared, ready for action and the stands filling by the minute, Sha Tin feels primed for a classic HKIR day. From a parade ring alive with music and colour to a racecourse ready to host the best horses on the planet, Hong Kong has once again reminded the world why this meeting sits at the very top of international racing’s calendar.
THE GROUP 1 HONG KONG VASE 2400M
A roar rolled across Sha Tin as the gates opened for the Hong Kong Vase, the first of four international Group 1s, and the crowd made it clear they were ready for the show. Months of build-up spilled into sound and colour as the field surged into stride, setting the tone for a day where atmosphere and elite racing went hand in hand.
It was Sosie who quickly emerged as the key figure in the contest, settling beautifully in fifth position as the early pace unfolded ahead of him. Traveling with intent and always within striking distance, he stalked the leaders with patience before being eased into clear air approaching the home turn. When asked to go, Sosie responded instantly, eyeballing the front runners and digging deep when the pressure came on.
The finish was a proper Vase battle. Last year’s winner Giavellotto loomed large and refused to surrender his crown without a fight, sticking on gamely and forcing Sosie to earn every stride of victory. In the end, Sosie’s determination told, pulling out just enough late to prevail, with Giavellotto a neck away in a gallant second.
Goliath boxed on bravely for third under Christophe Soumillon, never shirking the task and keeping honest to the line, while Al Riffa rounded out the placings in fourth, finishing a length and a half behind after a solid effort at the elite level.
The win carried extra significance, marking the second time the trainer and jockey combination have captured the Hong Kong Vase, following their triumph with Junko in 2023.
THE GROUP 1 HONG KONG SPRINT
The betting told its own story as the runners left the parade ring for the Hong Kong Sprint. Ka Ying Rising opened at an extraordinary 1.00 flat, a price that summed up the dominance of a sprinting superstar chasing back-to-back wins in one of the world’s great speed tests. Punters knew what they were watching, and so did the packed Sha Tin grandstand.
From barrier one, Ka Ying Rising did exactly what champions do. He jumped cleanly, asserted his authority immediately and dictated the speed from the front, travelling sweetly underneath Zac Purton. There was no urgency, no panic — just a horse completely in control of his own race, cruising through his gears with ears pricked and confidence oozing from every stride.
As they straightened, Purton barely moved. He cuddled Ka Ying Rising, hands quiet, body still, never once needing to ask the question. The response, as always, was emphatic. Without getting out of third gear, Ka Ying Rising put the race to bed in a matter of strides, extending effortlessly and leaving elite sprinters chasing shadows behind him.
The winning time of 1:07.70 didn’t threaten the track record, but conditions told the story. The turf appeared to be racing a touch slower than usual, making the performance even more impressive when viewed through that lens.
There is something almost unsettling about how easily Ka Ying Rising does it. No strain, no visible exertion, just pure efficiency and power wrapped in composure. In a race that routinely crowns the fastest horses on the planet, he made world-class opposition look ordinary.
This was equine excellence at its most frightening. Back-to-back Hong Kong Sprint victories, delivered with arrogance and ease, reinforcing the sense that Sha Tin is witnessing a sprinter operating on a different plane. When a horse can dominate at the highest level without being asked a serious question, you are no longer watching another sprinter… You are watching probably the best ever.
THE GROUP 1 HONG KONG MILE
The Hong Kong Mile delivered a finish worthy of its status, with Voyage Bubble stamping his class by going back-to-back in the feature, this time under the guidance of Zac Purton. It wasn’t straightforward, it wasn’t soft, but it was the mark of a genuine champion willing to fight when the moment demanded it.
As the field swung into the straight, the race looked set to swing Japan’s way. Soul Rush surged to the front with purpose, quickening clear and briefly giving the impression that the Mile was slipping away from the local star. For a few strides, Sha Tin held its breath as the Japanese contender threatened to steal the prize.
What followed was pure resolve. Voyage Bubble, now a seven-year-old and refusing to concede defeat, lifted again under Purton’s strong, determined ride. Asked for everything, he responded in kind, grinding his way back into the contest before forcing his nose in front close to the line. It was a tough, honest victory, the kind that defines a champion rather than flatters one.
Soul Rush was gallant in defeat, beaten but never broken, and he leaves Hong Kong with immense credit. His performance added another layer of quality to the Mile and provided a fitting final chapter before he heads back to Japan to begin his stud career, bowing out at the elite level with pride intact and no admirers lost.
Further back, the outsider Red Lion ran a bold race to finish third for Hugh Bowman and John Size, sticking on strongly and rewarding connections with a deserved placing in one of the deepest miles run anywhere in the world.
This was not a Mile decided by brilliance alone, but by toughness. Voyage Bubble’s ability to repel a world-class challenger, dig deep under pressure and still find a way to win reinforced his standing as one of Hong Kong’s modern greats. Back-to-back victories in this race do not come easily, and on a day packed with stars, Voyage Bubble proved once again that toughness still wins the biggest races.
THE GROUP 1 HONG KONG CUP
History was written at Sha Tin as Romantic Warrior etched his name deeper into racing folklore, becoming the first horse to claim four successive Hong Kong Cups. With James McDonald in the saddle, the champion once again rose to the occasion, delivering a performance that blended tactical brilliance with raw dominance on the sport’s biggest stage.
From the outset, McDonald rode with supreme confidence. Drawn to the inside, the Kiwi-born rider wasted no time easing Romantic Warrior off the rail, ensuring clear running and placing the champion exactly where he wanted him. Sliding smoothly into the one-out, one-back position, Romantic Warrior travelled with his trademark ease, stalking the pace and waiting patiently for the moment to strike.
That moment came at the 300-metre mark. McDonald asked Romantic Warrior to lengthen, and the response was instant. He surged to the front with authority, putting daylight between himself and a world-class field before powering clear to score by more than two lengths. It was a decisive, commanding victory, befitting a horse that has defined an era of Hong Kong racing.
Japan’s Bellagio Opera ran on strongly to claim second, while the Henri Graffard-trained Quisisana finished third under Christophe Soumillon, both beaten but holding their own in the presence of a true great.
As Romantic Warrior returned to scale, the atmosphere reached another level. The Sha Tin crowd, already electric, erupted as James McDonald stood tall in the irons, pumping his fists and urging the grandstand to rise with him. It was a moment of shared appreciation — rider and fans acknowledging a performance that will be replayed and remembered for generations.
Four Hong Kong Cups. Four years of dominance. And still, the questions continue. With history secured at home, does Romantic Warrior head back to the Middle East to chase global glory once more in Saudi Arabia’s world-richest race? Whatever the answer, one thing is certain: Romantic Warrior has already gone beyond legend status.
