Three of World's Top-Rated Horses in HK Champions Day

The Champions Day program set for April 26 at Sha Tin Racecourse looks to be one of the strongest in many years with top-shelf international rivals in each of the three races set to take on Hong Kong's best, including the world's top-ranked horse Ka Ying Rising (NZ). The mashup of global talent is aided by the presence of Japanese stars Masquerade Ball (JPN) and Jantar Mantar (JPN), detoured from earlier plans to run in Dubai, per the Japan Racing Association. Europe also contributes top contenders. The competition is so deep it's hard to pick a best race among the three group 1 events, but Ka Ying Rising's presence in the Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1) stands out. The David Hayes trainee is firmly ensconced in the top rung of the Longines World's Best Racehorses Rankings, already has lowered the Sha Tin course record for 1,200 meters three times, and is seeking his Hong Kong record 20th straight win. In addition, said regular rider Zac Purton, "He is fresh, looks good, and he is ready to go on Sunday." The strongest competition should come from another Japanese sprinter, Satono Reve (JPN), winner of the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1T) in his last start and second in last year's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. The son of Lord Kanaloa (JPN), who won two group 1 sprints at Sha Tin, needs to find a bit more, having finished behind Ka Ying Rising in all three previous Hong Kong appearances. Then there's Helios Express, whose form chart shows eight second-place finishes behind Ka Ying Rising. Heavyweights Battle in QEII While the sprint shapes up as a star turn, the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) brings together a solid, competitive field of unusually high standard. How high? Local superstar and globetrotting multinational winner Romantic Warrior (IRE), who has won the race three times, might not be the favorite as Japan's Masquerade Balllooks to stamp his passport here. Masquerade Ball just missed to the Aga Khan's Stables Calandagan (IRE) in November's Japan Cup (G1T) and could have had a rematch in Dubai. The QEII Cup, however, might be an even tougher go. Masquerade Ball and Romantic Warrior are joined by heavyweights Royal Champion (IRE), runaway winner of the Neom Turf Cup (G1T) in Saudi Arabia in his last start for trainer Karl Burke, and Sosie (IRE), last seen winning the Hong Kong Vase (G1) at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) in December after a third-place finish in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1). Romantic Warrior is second behind Ka Ying Rising on the Longines World's Best Racehorses Rankings and Royal Champion holds the fourth spot in a three-way tie. "I think this is the strongest QEII Cup in Hong Kong for 15 or 20 years," said Danny Shum, Romantic Warrior's trainer. "I'm happy so many good horses have come. It's definitely going to be a difficult race for him." Masquerade Ball's conditioner, Takahisa Tezuka, concurred, with the added caveat that his horse has had to acclimate to the Hong Kong weather. "The lineup this year is very, very brilliant," Tezuka said after trackwork April 23. "Romantic Warrior is an exceptionally strong horse, a true hero in Hong Kong. Sosie from France is a good horse, as is Royal Champion. "I always feel we are the challenger. Of course, my horse is very strong and competitive." Competitive Field in Champions Mile Rounding out the group 1 trio is the namesake event, the Champions Mile (G1) with another contentious field benefiting from Japanese connections shying from Dubai. In this case, it's Jantar Mantar detouring to Hong Kong. The 5-year-old son of Palace Malice was hitting his stride at 4 but hasn't run since winning the Mile Championship (G1T) Nov. 23 at Kyoto Racecourse. "Everything has gone well," said Takashi Matsui, assistant to trainer Tomokazu Takano. "The field is very competitive. Milers from Hong Kong are very strong but I think if Jantar Mantar can show his true ability, then I think he will be very competitive as well." The Hong Kong contingent includes Voyage Bubble (AUS), last season's local Triple Crown winner, and Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), former Hong Kong champion sprinter turned successful miler. Manfred Man, trainer of Lucky Sweynesse, summed up the quality of the Champions Mile field: "I think Jantar Mantar, Voyage Bubble, My Wish, Invincible Ibis, and Little Paradise, are the biggest challengers. It's a tough race." Invincible Ibis exits a victory in the Hong Kong Derby.