The Hong Kong Classic Mile has long been a revealing signpost on the Road to the Derby, and Little Paradise’s commanding success at Sha Tin on Sunday (1 February) suggests the latest chapter of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series is beginning to take shape. With less than a month to the next leg and the Derby looming large, the performance carried both immediate impact and deeper historical resonance.
Little Paradise’s HK$13 million victory over 1600 metres marked the seventh running in this season’s Road to the Derby narrative and elevated him into rare air. Now rated 103, he became the first four-year-old of the current crop to reach triple figures, underlining his status as a colt on a clear upward curve as the Classic Cup and Derby draw closer.
Settled one off the rail behind midfield in a race run at genuine tempo, Little Paradise travelled strongly despite the pressure up front, with leader Winfield setting searching early fractions. Turning for home, the Toronado colt briefly found himself hemmed in, but once daylight appeared inside the final 250 metres, the response was immediate and decisive. He lengthened smartly to score by two lengths from Infinite Resolve, a margin that reflected control rather than strain.
Trainer Jimmy Ting and jockey Matthew Ho were understandably quick to savour their second success in this prestigious contest, yet attention soon shifted to what lies ahead. The next assignment is the Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800 metres on 1 March, followed by the 2000-metre Hong Kong Derby three weeks later. The central question is whether Little Paradise will be just as effective as the distances stretch.
Hong Kong Classic Mile Winners and the Road Beyond
History offers encouragement. Seven of the past 10 winners of the Hong Kong Classic Mile have gone on to further success within the Four-Year-Old Classic Series. Sun Jewellery and Helios Express completed the Mile–Classic Cup double, while Furore, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble paired Mile victories with Derby glory. Rapper Dragon and Golden Sixty went one better, sweeping the entire series.
Even when a clean sweep did not follow, the Mile often proved a reliable guide. Last season, My Wish captured the opening leg before finishing runner-up in both the Classic Cup and the Derby, reinforcing the strength of the form at this stage.
Sunday’s contest also carried layers of context. Little Paradise enjoyed a favourable draw in gate six, while several key rivals were forced to overcome wider starting positions. Invincible Ibis, Beauty Bolt and Sagacious Life all finished in the top six despite drawing double-figure gates, suggesting depth to the form. Even so, the manner in which the winner accelerated clear late on hinted that others will need to find meaningful improvement to turn the tables.
Not all who shine in the Mile necessarily progress through the full series. Only six runners from last year’s field made it to the Derby, and intriguingly, just one of the top four finishers returned for the final leg, while three from the bottom half advanced. Such patterns highlight the evolving nature of the series as distances increase and new contenders emerge.
Beyond the main event, several four-year-olds caught the eye on the undercard. Super Express, Lucky Sam Gor and Blazing Wukong all struck, while Seraph Gabriel and Natural Numbers shaped with promise without landing a blow. Each, however, will need further rating progression to feature prominently at the elite level later this month.
Attention now turns to the coming week, where the next wave of potential Classic aspirants will be on show. Regal Gem and All Out For Six are set to line up at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, while Sha Tin on Sunday will feature Numbers, Pope Cody, Dazzling Fit, Aerodynamics and Juneau Pride. As the Road to the Derby gathers pace, the Hong Kong Classic Mile winner has once again set a demanding benchmark.
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