A gentle roar rippled across Sha Tin on Wednesday morning — not from the grandstand, but from stable hands who paused to stroke gleaming necks, to press a kiss to a champion’s nose, to whisper one more message before history beckons. There was pride in the air, a private kind of electricity, as news broke that hometown icons Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble head the selected runners for this year’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.
They will be joined by a glittering cast of world-class competitors including Calandagan, Soul Rush, Satono Reve, Los Angeles, Al Riffa, Sosie and Docklands — forming a field with 22 individual Group 1 winners, a collection worthy of the race meeting known internationally as the Turf World Championships.
The programme on Sunday, 14 December carries a record HK$130 million purse across four elite contests — the HK$40 million Hong Kong Cup (2000m), HK$36 million Hong Kong Mile (1600m), HK$28 million Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and HK$26 million Hong Kong Vase (2400m). All roads lead to Sha Tin, and every road feels heavy with expectation.
Romantic Warrior, already a three-time Hong Kong Cup hero, attempts to forge deeper into history by becoming the only four-time winner of the race. Fresh from a successful comeback after a 232-day break and now a 10-time Group 1 champion, he strides toward another moment under the December sun.
LONGINES Hong Kong International Races field strengthens with global depth
Calandagan — the highest-rated horse in the world — stands among the strongest challengers to the local talisman, joined by fellow French raider Quisisana. Bellagio Opera, Rousham Park, Lord Del Rey and Galen add international firepower, ensuring the Hong Kong Cup is no coronation, but a contest forged from the purest sporting ambition.
Voyage Bubble, Triple Crown hero and reigning Mile champion, will defend his crown in the 1600m showcase instead, while BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Massive Sovereign reinforces the domestic brigade in the Cup.
Ka Ying Rising, undefeated in 15 starts and already holder of the Sha Tin 1200m track record, returns seeking a second Hong Kong Sprint victory. Satono Reve, Win Carnelian, and Royal Ascot star Khaadem spearhead the opposition, though home support will again lift the sprinter who changed the rhythm of Hong Kong racing.
Behind them, challengers build their case — Helios Express, Tomodachi Kokoroe, Lucky Sweynesse, Raging Blizzard, Fast Network, Lucky With You, Wunderbar, Beauty Waves and Divano all arrive with form strong enough to threaten a moment of upset.
Galaxy Patch enters the Mile with momentum after a breathtaking rail-skimming surge under James McDonald in the BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile, where rising star My Wish also made an impression. European visitors add further intrigue — Docklands returns, The Lion In Winter travels to test unfamiliar ground, and Group 1-placed Happy Together joins Red Lion, Sunlight Power, Copartner Prance and Patch Of Theta. Pray For Mir and Massive Sovereign sit as reserves.
Japan’s Soul Rush — conqueror of Romantic Warrior in the 2025 Dubai Turf — returns to settle unfinished business after last year’s Mile second, while star filly Embroidery chases a third top-level triumph. Beauvatier, four-time Group 1-placed, races for the final time before stud duties call.
The Hong Kong Vase welcomes back defending champion Giavellotto, alongside Eydon, Dubai Honour, Sosie and Goliath — two of the world’s most respected staying talents. Andre Fabre, aiming for a fourth Vase, sends Sosie following a close third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Aidan O’Brien fields Los Angeles, Joseph O’Brien counters with Al Riffa, while Urban Chic, Ensued, Moments In Time, Bundle Award and Ka Ying Generation complete what may prove the most tactical race of the day.
As those first stable whispers turn into public anticipation, Sha Tin prepares not just for a race meeting, but for a global celebration — champions returning, rivalries re-ignited, and new legends waiting to be written.
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