Hong Kong Runners Ready to Defend G1 Honor

The Longines Hong Kong International Races have a familiar feel for the Dec. 8 renewal—Hong Kong stars taking on potentially overmatched foreign raiders.

As Hong Kong's biggest race day has grown through the past decade, it almost always has been tough for eagerly awaited visitors to get the better of the awaiting locals at Sha Tin Racecourse. In both 2022 and 2023, for example, Hong Kong landed three of the four group 1 races.

Some of the superstars responsible for that record, notably Golden Sixty, are retired. But this year's replacements, if anything, are even more formidable.

In the featured and internationally acclaimed Hong Kong Cup (G1), Romantic Warrior  is seemingly atop his considerable game and looking for more. The Hong Kong Sprint (G1) has Ka Ying Rising, already a local record-holder and still improving. The Hong Kong Mile looks a tad less stacked but several members of the home team appear at least the equal to the best of the invaders.

Only the Hong Kong Vase (G1) seems a tempting test as its 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) is seldom a target for Hong Kong runners.

Romantic Warrior already is an international superstar in his own right as the winner of the 2023 Cox Plate (G1) in Australia and this year's Yasuda Kinen (G1) in Japan. He's already won the Hong Kong Cup twice in 2023-24 among his 14 local wins, and is reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year.

If that's not enough, regular rider James McDonald said just before the Dec. 5 barrier draw the 6-year-old Acclamation gelding is getting better.

"He's just a perfect racehorse," McDonald said. "He's got gate speed. He's got sustained speed. I just really enjoy riding him. He's won six in a row in three different countries. It would be fitting if he could go down as one of the best ever on the Sha Tin turf."

And he might do more than that as owner Peter Lau Pak Fai and trainer Danny Shum are planning more overseas adventure for Romantic Warrior.

"Oh yes," the owner said after drawing gate 1. "He will go to Saudi Arabia" for February's $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) on the dirt.

The 10 rivals in the Hong Kong Cup might be overmatched although Japan's Liberty Island  has the back class to contend. Now 4, she won the 2023 Japanese filly Triple Crown and finished second to Equinox  in the Japan Cup (G1). She finished third in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1T) in March, then was off until Oct. 27, when she reported 13th in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has two 3-year-old fillies in the Cup. Ryan Moore is aboard Yorkshire Oaks (G1) winner Content , last seen finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T). Wayne Lordan rides Wingspan , fifth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) after taking second in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (G1) at Ascot.

Hong Kong Sprint

While Romantic Warrior is the established star in the Hong Kong firmament, Ka Ying Rising is living up to the "rising" part of his name—and then some.

The 4-year-old has taken the Hong Kong sprinting ranks by storm, winning seven straight races while moving up from Class 4 handicaps to the Jockey Club Sprint in his most recent effort. In the Jockey Club Sprint, he not only won by 3 1/4 lengths over a solid field with jockey Zac Purton blowing kisses to the camera well before the finish, but broke the course record in the process.

"Zac doesn't often kiss the camera with 100 meters to go," said trainer David Hayes. "And then to break the record anyway."

Purton said Ka Ying Rising has worked well training for his first group 1 tilt, adding, "Hopefully, it's a fast-run race. We're looking forward to it, counting down the days."

Asked if he can step up to group 1 company successfully, Purton said, "That's the question we all want to get the answer to."

If all run to form, it's tough to find a legitimate challenger in the field.

England's Starlust  enters off a victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) but trainer Ralph Beckett said that outcome "was a surprise," aided by a hot early pace. The 3-year-old's previous best was a third in the Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York in August.

California Spangle  has plenty of back class, with victories during the 2023-24 season in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (G1) at home and the Al Quoz Sprint (G1T) in Dubai. He, however, has been off form in two earlier starts this campaign.

The Sprint lost its only American entry, Nobals , the day of the barrier draw. The Larry Rivelli trainee, winner of the 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, developed a fever after shipping to Hong Kong and was ruled out of the race by local authorities when his blood work didn't improve. Nobals would have been the first United States-based runner in any of the HKIR races since 2017.

Hong Kong Mile

The first five finishers from the Jockey Club Mile return in the Hong Kong Mile: Voyage Bubble, Iowa-bred Chancheng Glory, Galaxy Patch, Happy Together, and Beauty Joy. Galaxy Patch, the beaten favorite in that, had won his three previous starts.

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Japan sends Soul Rush , last-out winner of the Mile Championship (G1) at Kyoto, and Jantar Mantar, a promising 3-year-old. Lazzat  won the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) at Deauville two starts back and Antino took the Toorak Handicap (G1) at Caulfield in Australia in October.

Hong Kong Vase

The Hong Kong Vase is a puzzle.

A year ago, Luxembourg  missed by just a short head of denying Romantic Warrior his second straight Hong Kong Cup win. O'Brien now stretches the 5-year-old out from that 2,000 meters to contest the Hong Kong Vase in his last scheduled race before retirement. His last win was the Coronation Cup (G1) in April but he's been massively successful around the globe throughout his career.

Without A Fight  won the 2023 Melbourne Cup (G1) in Australia but then was sidelined for a full year with a tendon injury. He finished third in a comeback effort in the Champions Stakes (G1) at Flemington Nov. 9.