It has been nearly a decade since an overseas-trained runner last lifted the Champions Mile at Sha Tin, but that long-standing trend faces a stern examination this Sunday as a pair of high-class visitors arrive with genuine credentials to reshape the narrative.
Since the triumph of Maurice in 2016, locally based runners have dominated the HK$24 million Group 1 contest, turning the race into a stronghold for Hong Kong’s elite. This year, however, the balance of power appears less certain, with Japan’s Jantar Mantar and the progressive Strauss leading the overseas charge on FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Jantar Mantar, crowned the 2025 JRA Champion Miler, brings a formidable résumé. The five-year-old announced himself early, landing the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes at two before adding the NHK Mile Cup at three. His dominance continued last season with victories in both the Yasuda Kinen and the Mile Championship, effectively sweeping Japan’s top-level mile races for his division.
Bred by Shadai Farm and trained by Tomokazu Takano, Jantar Mantar has built a profile defined by consistency and class, finishing in the first three in nine of his ten starts. His only blemish came in last year’s Hong Kong Mile, where he trailed home in 13th behind Voyage Bubble.
That effort, however, came under less-than-ideal circumstances. A disrupted preparation, including a missed run due to illness and a hurried return to peak fitness, left him short of his best. Interference in the straight compounded matters, turning the outing into a forgettable exception rather than a true reflection of ability.
Connections had initially set their sights on the Dubai Turf over 1800 metres, but shifting conditions in the Middle East prompted a rethink. Rather than abandon international plans altogether, the decision was made to target Hong Kong’s premier mile instead—a move seen as both logical and timely.
“As Japan’s leading miler, the mile in Hong Kong should be the best choice for him,” said Tetsuya Yoshida, explaining the change in direction.
Reports from the Ritto Training Centre have been encouraging. Takano has overseen a smooth preparation, including a racecourse-style gallop under jockey Yuga Kawada, and believes the horse has returned to the level that saw him excel at the highest level last season.
“He is in the same great condition as he was for last year’s Mile Championship,” Takano noted, a statement that will not go unnoticed among those assessing Sunday’s contest.
Strauss, meanwhile, arrives on the back of a decisive international breakthrough, having captured the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup in emphatic style in February. While lacking the depth of Jantar Mantar’s Group 1 record, his upward trajectory adds further intrigue to the overseas challenge.
For Hong Kong’s established stars, the task remains unchanged: defend home territory in a race that has, in recent years, become a showcase of local strength. Yet the presence of two accomplished visitors ensures this year’s renewal carries a different edge—one shaped by unfinished business, shifting plans, and the promise of a genuine international contest.
Jantar Mantar, in particular, returns with a point to prove. If he delivers on expectation, the long wait for an overseas winner in the Champions Mile may finally come to an end.
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