Group 3 Celebration Cup beckons for Invincible Ibis and Helios Express

By Paul Ryding

Mark Newnham was pleased with the effort of his 2026 Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hero Invincible Ibis, as the gelding enjoyed a tune-up on Thursday morning (17 September) ahead of his highly anticipated return to action in 10 days.

With Luke Ferraris deputising for the sidelined Hugh Bowman, Invincible Ibis eased through his 1200-metre dirt trial fifth in 1m 10.69s under hands and heels.

“He’s only out there to stretch his legs and take some fitness from it,” Newnham said. “Comparable to his all-weather trials previously, it was quite a good standard.

“He’ll have probably just one more gallop going into the Celebration Cup.”

Newnham earmarked the G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on 27 September as the ideal reintroduction for his five-year-old galloper, who won five of his nine outings last season, culminating in his record-breaking win in the Hong Kong Derby. The first two of his wins came on Sha Tin’s 1400-metre course.

Newnham believes Invincible Ibis has come on during the off-season break.

“I think he’s strengthened up; he’s certainly put on a little bit more weight,” Newnham said.

“He’s a more mature horse mentally and physically. He needs to be now that he’s racing all ages and his rating is high. There’s nowhere to hide,” he added.

In the same barrier trial was John Size’s leading sprinter Helios Express, who completed 1200 metres in a typically leisurely 1m 11.20s under Andrea Atzeni.

The Australian handler revealed that the seven-year-old is also due to make his seasonal bow in the Celebration Cup over the 1400 metres, a journey where he’s posted two seconds and a third from three career outings.

“He’s not a flash worker, he doesn’t do anything that’s impressive at home. He’s just about race day,” Size said. “Hopefully, he’s fit enough to run a good race on the 27th.”

The Toronado gelding has long been considered one of Hong Kong’s leading sprinters. Given that Helios Express is consistently rated above 120, is Size frustrated that, having repeatedly gone up against the colossal Ka Ying Rising, his charge doesn’t have more to show at the top level than a single G3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) title?

“Someone’s got to do it,” Size said. “He’s not the first one who’s run into a champion, and is frustrated by it. That’s what we’ve been dealt, we just have to live with it.”

Answering speculation that Helios Express could be campaigned overseas in an effort to claim Group 1 glory, Size was non-committal.

“Anything can happen. You never say never, and you never know what circumstances arise. He’s got the marks to do that,” Size said. “But he’s probably not the first horse I’d pick to be put on a plane.”

David Eustace’s progressive five-year-old Colourful King also trialled on Thursday. After completing 1050 metres on the dirt track in 1m 02.29s under Zac Purton, his English handler said: “He’s going great. He’s prepared really nicely and we’ll go to the Group 3 (National Day Cup Handicap, 1000m) on the 1st of October.”