Ricky Yiu is closing in on his fourth consecutive 50-plus win season in Hong Kong, and the 2019/20 champion trainer couldn’t be more pleased. At 67, Yiu continues to scale new heights, with Voyage Bubble’s sensational Triple Crown sweep standing out as the pinnacle of not just the current season, but arguably his entire three-decade-long training career.
“This is a real thrill, this is a peak,” Yiu said, reflecting on Voyage Bubble’s rare achievement. “To win the Triple Crown is a dream come true. You need a very talented horse to do that – it’s very, very special.” The Triple Crown triumph has placed Yiu in elite company. Voyage Bubble became only the second horse in Hong Kong racing history – after River Verdon in 1993/94 – to capture the stamina-testing trio of the HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), HK$13 million G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m), and HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m). All three victories came under leading international rider James McDonald, underlining the horse’s versatility and brilliance.
Yiu, who began his career as an apprentice jockey in the early 1970s and later worked under Gordon Smyth and Eddie Lo, now boasts 1,065 career wins. His résumé includes turf greats like Sacred Kingdom, Fairy King Prawn, Ultra Fantasy, and Amber Sky, along with major international wins in Japan, Dubai, and Singapore. With 49 wins so far this season, Yiu sits third on the trainers’ championship table behind John Size (63) and David Hayes (54) as Hong Kong’s 2024/25 season moves toward its final stretch. The 81st fixture out of 88 takes place this Sunday (22 June), with the curtain set to fall at Happy Valley on 16 July.
“I’m happy with where I am now in the championship,” Yiu remarked. “I want to keep it up until the end of the season.” This Sunday, Yiu sends out a strong hand at Sha Tin, including two key runners in the HK$4.2 million G3 Premier Plate Handicap (1800m) – Straight Arron and Nimble Nimbus. Straight Arron, rated 116, will be ridden by Matthew Poon, who is locked in a battle for the Tony Cruz Award with 36 wins this season as the top homegrown jockey. Drawn in gate two, Straight Arron returns to Group company after capturing the G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) in March.
“He’s doing fine,” said Yiu. “He’s a very nice horse and he’ll be very competitive. He tries very hard and he’s had a few good runs since joining my yard.” Meanwhile, Nimble Nimbus, a six-time winner and the 2024 G3 Centenary Vase Handicap victor, is likely making his final career start. The gelding has amassed HK$13.55 million in prize money and will be partnered by Antoine Hamelin. “This will most likely be his last run,” Yiu said. “I’m very pleased with his achievements. He might surprise us this weekend – he likes the wet track, and there might be some rain.”
Yiu’s promising three-year-old Blazing Wukong, owned by Jason Chan (also the owner of Nimble Nimbus), will line up in the Class 4 Diamond Handicap (1200m) after an impressive debut win. “It was a very good win for his first start. He’s a quality horse and looks like he’ll run well again,” Yiu added.
Also making headlines on Sunday is Lim’s Shivano, trained by Mark Newnham. Owned by Singapore’s Lim Siah Mong, famous for his ‘Lim’s’ series of horses, this will be his first Hong Kong runner, debuting in the Class 3 Amethyst Handicap (1400m). The 11-race card at Sha Tin begins at 4:00 PM with the Class 4 Ruby Handicap (1000m) and includes the HK$4.2 million G3 Premier Cup Handicap (1400m).
As the 2024/25 Hong Kong racing season draws toward a dramatic conclusion, all eyes are on Ricky Yiu and his formidable team – with dreams still alive and trophies yet to be won.
