When Ka Ying Rising, rated the world's best sprinter, swept to a comfortable victory in the first of three group 1 races, it appeared Champions Day April 27 at Sha Tin Racecourse was off to a formful start.
It did not play out that way.
Ka Ying Rising's victory in the Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1) was followed by a 90-1 upset shocker by Red Lion over odds-on Voyage Bubble in the Champions Mile (G1) and Tastiera defeating favorite Prognosis in the QE II Cup (G1).
"We want to provide more world-class racing and entertainment, and from the feedback we have so far, we have definitely achieved this," Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said in his day-end summary.
Ka Ying Rising left no doubt about his talent as he swept to his 12th straight win—the last four in group 1 events—and completed a perfect 2024-25 season. The top-rated sprinter on the Longines World's Best Racehorses listings now will have a rest before preparing for his first international test—The Everest (G1) in Australia in the autumn.
"What more can you say?" commented winning rider Zac Purton. "Every time you come out here, he produces something special, and he did that again today, and he didn't even change (leads). He puts them away very quickly.
"He's getting better and better. He can have a break now and the next one is the big one."
Purton kept the 4-year-old behind the early speed in the 1,200-meter (about 6-furlong) sprint and turned him loose inside the 250-meter mark. He quickly spurted clear and won by 2 1/4 lengths, eased up.
Japan's sprint star, Satono Reve, ran well to finish second.
"The race panned out really well. He began well and I was able to just pop him into a lovely spot with the way the race was unfolding," Purton said. "I just kept it uncomplicated and let him do his thing."
Trainer David Hayes said Ka Ying Rising is showing versatility in running style while improving as he handles the world's best rivals.
"The second horse (Satono Reve) is probably the second-best sprinter in the world at the moment, so the form came out," Hayes said.
The form certainly didn't come out in the Mile, although it would be fair to argue the Red Lion should not have been allowed to go to the post at odds quite as long as 90-1 as he had finished second in the same race a year earlier.
This time around, though, he was facing Voyage Bubble, who has developed into the dominant local miler since finishing third in the 2024 Champions Mile, with four straight wins to his credit, including the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) in December.
Starting from the No. 12 gate, jockey Hugh Bowman managed to get Red Lion out quickly to the front, crossed over to save ground, and found himself in a virtual match race with Voyage Bubble. The pair fought it out down the straight with Red Lion holding to win by short head. Sunlight Power was another half-length back in third.
"It's fantastic," Bowman said. "He's a very consistent, courageous horse. Having had the opportunity to ride him a few times, I had confidence in him.
"I didn't really expect to lead, but full credit to (Trainer John Size) and his team because they've turned him out in fantastic order, and with a little bit of moisture in the ground, it certainly assisted his chances and I'm just so proud of him."
James McDonald, who rode Voyage Bubble, offered only, "He was super. I was really proud of his effort."
Red Lion is owned by the Hong Kong Jockey Club's former chairman, Ronald Arculli, and his wife, Johanna. Arculli also raced successful international campaigner Red Cadeaux.
The QE II Cup was up for grabs this year as Romantic Warrior, winner of the last three runnings, was taking a break after contesting three of the top races in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Romantic Warrior had won the QE II Cup in each of the last three years and would have been a solid favorite to make it four.
Instead, the race came down to two talented Japanese visitors. Tastiera, winner of the 2023 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) worked to the lead in the stretch and the race favorite, Prognosis, was not able to catch him with a run from the back of the field. The margin was 1 3/4 lengths.
Calif, based in Bahrain, was up for second.
The outcome was marred by the fatal breakdown of Liberty Island, winner of the Japanese filly Triple Crown in 2023.
