Hong Kong

Sunday's G1 FWD QEII Cup featured a Japanese winner in 2023 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) hero Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), but that joy quickly turned to heartbreak, as Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown heroine Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) succumbed to injuries sustained during the running of the 2000-metre event. Second favourite in the betting at 11-4, the 5-year-old entire was forwardly placed and soon perched three wide into the first turn while New Zealand multiple Group 1 winner El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking {Aus}) enjoyed an uncontested lead. They...

Red Lion (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) has hit the crossbars in group company plenty of times in Hong Kong, and the John Size trainee broke his black-type duck in fighting fashion, taking the G1 FWD Champions Mile by a short head over multiple Group 1 winner Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}). Sent off at 89-1, the Ronald and Johanna Arculli silksbearer jumped straight to the head of affairs, covering the first quarter mile in :24.50 while pressed by Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Voyage Bubble stalked from third. After...

Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) further cemented his status as the world's best sprinter with a 2 1/4-length victory in the 1200-metre G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on Sunday. Sent off the heavy 1-20 crowd's pick, the bay gelding duly made it a dozen wins in a row with the closing Satono Reve (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) a neck ahead of third-place finisher Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}), who also rallied from the rear of the field. In touch with the leaders in a tracking fifth through...

No G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner has ever won the G1 FWD QEII Cup over 2000 metres at Sha Tin, but on Sunday, Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) will attempt to become the first. And with the absence of three-time QEII Cup hero Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), there is no better time to try. Co-owned by Resolute Racing's John Stewart, the likeable Goliath was a 2 1/4-length victor over subsequent G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) at Ascot in July. Given...

Justifying (Aus) (Justify) became his dual-hemisphere stallion's third Hong Kong winner with a dazzling debut display down the 1000-meter straight course in Sunday's opening race at Sha Tin Racecourse. An A$100,000 graduate of the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, the bay was led out unsold for the same amount at that year's Inglis Ready2Race [Breeze-Up] Sale and was turned over to trainer Vincent Nolan for his initial racetrack prep. The late October foal put his talents on full display when landing a soft-ground jumpout by five lengths at Benalla north...

The second winner on the Sha Tin card to have parlayed a win in the 2024 Longines Hong Kong International Races to Group 1 glory on Sunday, Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) secured the 2000-metre HK$13-million Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, although not without some trouble in running. Reunited with James McDonald after he returned from taking second in the G1 Saudi Cup aboard Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) on Saturday, the 3-10 crowd's pick settled in midfield as Winning Dragon (Chi) (Ivan Denisovich {Ire}) established a pressured advantage....

The world's highest rated sprinter, Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) added his third Group 1 on the bounce and 10th victory in a row in Sunday's 1400-metre HK$13-million Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin. Missing in action was his regular jockey Zac Purton, who has been sidelined with a foot injury. Step forward Karis Teetan, and the show went on. Keeping a close eye on last year's winner California Spangle (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) from the bell, the 1-5 favourite never let his rival have a moment's ease. He...

Hong Kong sprinter extraordinaire Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) headlines the HK$13-million G1 Queen's Silver jubilee Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. Trained by David Hayes for the Ka Ying Syndicate, the likeable gelding is operating on a nine-race winning streak, and had the re-opposing Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) and Howdeepisyourlove (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) second and third when he took the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup last month over his pet distance of 1200 metres. The world's highest rated turf sprinter in 2024, the gelding will be partnered...

Last year's King George hero Goliath (Ger) will make his 2025 bow in Hong Kong on Champions Day, Apr. 27, according to an X post by the gelding's co-owner, John Stewart of Resolute Racing. Stewart purchased a majority share in the son of Adlerflug (Ger) after he landed the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard last summer. Geldings remain barred from participating in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. "I am dedicated to international racing at the highest level," Stewart told TDN Europe....

Ryan Moore, Declan McDonogh, Richard Kingscote, Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand have been granted jockeys' licences to ride in Hong Kong over the next few months. Doyle and Marquand have both ridden winners in Hong Kong in recent seasons and will be available to ride at Sha Tin on Sunday 16 February and Happy Valley next Wednesday, 19 February. Moore is set to be in attendance for meetings at Happy Valley (26 February and 5 March) as well as at Sha Tin (2 March) for Hong Kong Classic Cup race...

The progressive My Wish (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) sat a trip handy to the pace, took over with 200 metres left to run and held off a rails rally from the outposted Divano (Aus) (Brave Smash {Jpn}) to take out the first leg of the 4-year-old Classic series in Hong Kong, the HK$13-million Hong Kong Classic Mile on Friday's Chinese New Year program at Sha Tin. It was a first feature win in the ultra-competitive environment for Australian ex-pat trainer Mark Newnham in his second season and for South Africa's...

Johannes Brahms (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), runner-up as the favourite in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes before filling the same spot in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes while under the care of Aidan O'Brien in 2023, is among a full field of 14 for the first leg of the 4-year-old Classic series in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Classic Mile. The HK$13-million event anchors Friday's Chinese New Year meeting at Sha Tin. Acquired privately after finishing third in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2YO Stakes at Doncaster in September 2023, the Tattersalls October...