Dennis Yip initially planned to test Fast Network down Meydan’s famous straight course in Dubai – a happy hunting ground for Hong Kong-trained runners in the past – but after uncertainty in the Middle East scuttled that plan in March, he hatched a new idea, and it will see the championship-winning trainer break fresh ground next month in Japan.
Fast Network will become Yip’s first runner outside of Hong Kong, Conghua or Macau in his own right when the bay gelding’s bold two-race overseas campaign commences in the G2 Centaur Stakes (1200m) at Hanshin on 6 September before climaxing in the G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama on 27 September.
A seven-time winner from 20 starts, Fast Network has evolved from budding four-year-old to twice Group 1-placed behind champion Ka Ying Rising – form he’ll take to Hanshin when he makes his first start abroad as the third Hong Kong-trained horse to run in the Centaur Stakes, following Green Birdie (2nd – 2010; 14th – 2011) and Lucky Nine (2nd – 2011).
“He will have two races because it’s early season in Hong Kong and he’s only had one barrier trial. In Japan, he can only work by himself – the other horses won’t be with him and he also won’t be able to trial there,” Yip said.
“I refreshed him and his form is coming very good. He will be even better after the recent trial. He’ll run in the Group 2 first and then on the 27th.”
Fast Network finished an eye-catching fourth in a recent barrier trial before flying to Japan on Tuesday, 25 August. The galloper will resume after a last-start fourth to Ka Ying Rising in April’s G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), with Yip foregoing potential Group 3 opportunities in May and June at Sha Tin for the six-year-old in favour of an early spell at Conghua in preparation for his overseas campaign.
“Fast Network had a few hard races last season, so I let him rest earlier; now he’s refreshed. I think he’ll run well. Then we will go straight to the Group 1. Hong Kong has an outstanding champion – Ka Ying Rising – and it’s difficult to catch him,” Yip said.
Only Silent Witness (2005) and Ultra Fantasy (2010) have won the Sprinters Stakes for Hong Kong, while 17 attempts have been made overall. The most recent was Lucky Sweynesse, who finished 11th in 2025 behind outsider Win Carnelian.
A former jockey who rode 59 winners, Yip is a protégé of five-time champion trainer Brian Kan. Prior to receiving his licence to train, Yip travelled Red Pepper to Tokyo when he was Kan’s assistant trainer for the 2002 G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m), partnering the horse in trackwork. Yip’s career highlights include being crowned Hong Kong Champion Trainer in 2012/13 and winning the 2024 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) with Massive Sovereign.
Mo gets overseas chance in South Korea
Dylan Mo, like Yip, has experienced overseas racing, but his upcoming challenge in South Korea will be the first time he’s linked with a Hong Kong-trained runner abroad when Self Improvement contests the G3 Korea Sprint (1200m, sand) on Sunday, 6 September.
Self Improvement won this race last year for trainer Manfred Man and jockey Jerry Chau, becoming Hong Kong racing’s second Korea Sprint victor after Super Jockey, who was successful in 2016 as the first of seven runners from the city to have contested the race.
Self Improvement is joined by Beauty Waves and Gorgeous Win in the Korea Sprint, while Romantic Thor was withdrawn from the G2 Korea Cup (1800m, sand). Mo has partnered Self Improvement in much of his recent trackwork and is grateful for the opportunity.
“I’m very happy. The owner and trainer are very good; they’ve given me the chance to go to South Korea – I will try my best. It’s my first time overseas with a Hong Kong horse, but I’ve ridden in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore before,” Mo said.
Each of Hong Kong’s trio has raced on the dirt at Sha Tin, although Seoul’s unique sand surface and kickback pose an unknown threat, except to Mo’s mount, Self Improvement, a half-length winner of the race 12 months ago.
By Declan Schuster
