The G3 Celebration Cup will bring Invincible Ibis and Helios Express back to Sha Tin Racecourse for their first appearances of the new season when the 1400-metre Group 3 contest will take place on 27 September. Both established performers will enter the race after completing barrier trials on Thursday, 17 September, as their connections will continue preparations for the opening stages of the campaign.
Invincible Ibis will arrive with the distinction of being last season’s Hong Kong Derby winner. The five-year-old gelding will have enjoyed a highly productive 2025-26 campaign, winning five of his nine starts before completing his season with a record-breaking success in the 2000-metre Hong Kong Derby. His return over 1400 metres will therefore provide an early opportunity to assess his condition after the off-season break.
Mark Newnham will have given Invincible Ibis a relatively straightforward preparation so far. The gelding will have completed a 1200-metre dirt barrier trial in 1m 10.69s on Thursday, with Luke Ferraris deputising for the sidelined Hugh Bowman. The trial will have been designed mainly to stretch the horse and build fitness rather than provide a demanding test.
Newnham will plan one more gallop before Invincible Ibis lines up in the G3 Celebration Cup. The trainer will also expect the horse to have developed during his break, with the five-year-old having added some weight and showing greater physical and mental maturity.
G3 Celebration Cup will test Invincible Ibis over 1400 metres
The 1400-metre distance will provide Invincible Ibis with familiar conditions. His first two wins of last season will have come over Sha Tin’s 1400-metre course, making the Celebration Cup a logical race for his return.
The shorter distance will nevertheless present a different challenge from the 2000 metres of the Hong Kong Derby. Invincible Ibis will need to demonstrate that his speed and fitness have developed sufficiently during the break while also handling competition against horses of different ages.
His higher rating will mean that he will face a stronger level of competition during the new season. Newnham will therefore use the Celebration Cup as an important early measure of where the Derby winner stands before the major assignments later in the campaign.
Helios Express will add another proven name to the race and will also make his seasonal return over 1400 metres. The John Size-trained seven-year-old will have completed a 1200-metre dirt trial in 1m 11.20s on Thursday, with Andrea Atzeni taking the ride.
The Toronado gelding will bring an established record at the Celebration Cup distance. From three career starts over 1400 metres, Helios Express will have recorded two second-place finishes and one third. His experience at Sha Tin will give him a strong foundation as he begins another season.
Helios Express will also return with an impressive record against leading Hong Kong sprinters. The seven-year-old will have secured the G3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap over 1200 metres, while his consistency at the highest level will make his seasonal return one of the key talking points surrounding the Celebration Cup.
Size will expect Helios Express to improve through race-day conditions. The trainer will not normally expect spectacular trial performances from the veteran, who will typically save his best work for competition. His latest trial will therefore be treated as part of a controlled build-up towards 27 September.
While Invincible Ibis and Helios Express will attract much of the attention, Colourful King will also feature in the wider picture surrounding the early-season preparations. The progressive five-year-old trained by David Eustace will have completed a 1050-metre dirt trial in 1m 02.29s under Zac Purton on Thursday.
Colourful King will be aimed at the G3 National Day Cup Handicap over 1000 metres on 1 October rather than the Celebration Cup. His latest trial will nevertheless provide an indication of his preparation as the new campaign gets underway.
The G3 Celebration Cup will consequently provide an early meeting point for two horses with different strengths and considerable experience. Invincible Ibis will return as the reigning Hong Kong Derby winner and will have proven form over 1400 metres, while Helios Express will bring years of experience and a strong record at the distance.
Their latest trials will have given both camps valuable information, but the Sha Tin contest will provide the first opportunity to see how the two performers will have progressed after their respective breaks. With the new season gathering pace, the 1400-metre Group 3 event will offer an important early test for two of Hong Kong’s established performers.
The G3 Celebration Cup will bring Invincible Ibis and Helios Express back to Sha Tin Racecourse for their seasonal returns over 1400 metres on 27 September.
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