Dylan Mo insists composure, not nerves, will accompany him into the Hong Kong Gold Cup 2026 on Sunday (1 March), as the local rider prepares for his first appearance at Group 1 level aboard the progressive Winning Wing at Sha Tin.
For Mo, the HK$13 million contest over 2000 metres represents more than a career milestone. It is the continuation of a partnership that has grown steadily in confidence and understanding. Three of his four victories this season have come with the Francis Lui-trained five-year-old, a horse he knows as well as any in the city.
That familiarity, Mo believes, is his greatest ally as he lines up in one of Hong Kong’s most prestigious middle-distance races.
“I’m very happy I can ride in the Group 1 with Winning Wing,” Mo said during the week. “I’m not too excited that it’s a Group 1; I just very much enjoy that I can ride this horse in a Group 1.
“I’m very comfortable riding him in the race because I’ve been riding Winning Wing from his first start until now, so I know this horse. I think he is a very good horse.”
Hong Kong Gold Cup 2026 test awaits rising pair
The Hong Kong Gold Cup 2026 will be a significant examination for both horse and rider. Winning Wing has enjoyed a quietly progressive campaign, climbing 20 points in the ratings this term. The son of Preferment has shown steady improvement with racing, and Mo has been central to that rise, partnering him in all 15 of his career starts and rarely missing a piece of morning work.
Procured to race in Hong Kong by Mo’s close friend, former jockey-turned-bloodstock agent Kei Chiong, Winning Wing has rewarded patient handling. His most recent high-profile assignment, the Group 3 January Cup Handicap over 1800 metres, saw him finish fifth, beaten two lengths by Speed Dragon. It was a performance that suggested he belonged at a higher level, even if the result did not bring immediate headlines.
Sunday’s six-runner field, however, demands another step forward. At set weights, Winning Wing meets established stars including Voyage Bubble, My Wish, Ensued, Beauty Joy and the formidable Romantic Warrior, a name that commands respect in any middle-distance contest.
Mo acknowledges the calibre of opposition but refuses to be overawed.
“Of course, Romantic Warrior is a good horse, but my horse has improved a lot this season. So I’ll try my best and give it 100 per cent,” he said. “At 2000 metres, the horse has had quite good results.
“I don’t feel nervous. Whatever happens, I’ll know I’ve done my best. It’s just like riding in a normal race. If you win, you will win. No pressure. I’m just relaxed.”
Now 32, and approaching a decade among Hong Kong’s jockey ranks next season, Mo understands the competitive hierarchy of the jurisdiction. Opportunities at the top level are hard-earned and rarely gifted. That he retains the ride on an emerging talent in such a race is not lost on him.
“My first feeling is that just to ride in a Group 1, I’m very lucky, and I’m lucky that the owner and the trainer have given me support like this. I should just try my best for them.”
Sunday’s 11-race programme at Sha Tin begins at 12.30pm with the Class 4 Citi Wealth Handicap over 1800 metres. The Hong Kong Gold Cup 2026 is scheduled for 3.45pm, with the Hong Kong Classic Cup following at 4.35pm, ensuring an afternoon that blends established excellence with emerging ambition.
For Mo and Winning Wing, it is a stage neither has previously occupied. Yet if the rider’s calm demeanour is any guide, they will approach it as they have every other assignment: quietly, methodically, and with faith in the work already done.
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