My Wish seeks top billing in BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile

By Declan Schuster

My Wish hasn’t shirked a challenge on his road to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, in fact, he’s passed them all with flying colours, and Sunday’s (23 November) HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) will be the rising star’s final stepping stone at Sha Tin before he takes aim at the HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) on 14 December.

Like My Wish, his jockey Luke Ferraris is also one of racing’s brightest talents. The laser-focused 23-year-old continues to lift his game, firing out of the blocks with 15 victories across the first 20 fixtures this season – a tally bettered by only Zac Purton (37) – and the South African rider, who is the son of former trainer David Ferraris, attributes My Wish’s ascendance to enhanced physical strength and mental clarity.

“He’s put on weight – you can feel it in the mornings and in his races. He’s a lot stronger, which is what we were hoping for after the off-season, and he’s calming down, too. So, he’s turned into a really professional racehorse and it’s showing in his results,” Ferraris said. “You need horses like this in your career, they can put your name up in lights. It’ll be a dream come true if he can do something at the (LONGINES Hong Kong) International Races, and as well, the race leading up to it.”

Unbeaten this season, with victories in the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) and HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m), Mark Newnham’s My Wish has quickly slotted into pole position as the mile division’s next top dog as trainer Ricky Yiu steps Triple Crown hero Voyage Bubble – last season’s Hong Kong Champion Miler (2024/25) – back up in distance for a clash with Romantic Warrior in Sunday’s HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m).

My Wish has six wins from 13 appearances, earning HK$25.73 million. Prior to this season, the bay had never weighed more than 1,000lb, but tipped the scales at 1,005lb in his return outing in the Celebration Cup in September, when he gave both Ferraris and Newnham their first Group race wins in Hong Kong.

But the pint-sized powerhouse packs plenty of heart – a sentiment underscored by his brave second to Cap Ferrat in March’s HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m), when he broke from barrier 14 and raced contrary to his customary on-pace pattern, all before covering the final 400m in a race-best 21.39s.

In preparation for this weekend, My Wish was second in 1m 10.81s in a 1200m barrier trial on Friday, 14 November – four lengths behind Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2024/25) Ka Ying Rising.

“It was a good trial; he was obviously trialling with Ka Ying Rising. He’s moving well, he’s in a good space and he’s starting to calm down a lot, which is a big help, and his barrier manners have improved a lot; they aren’t an issue anymore, so he’s in good order,” Ferraris said.

Sunday’s (23 November) fixture sees the return of Ka Ying Rising in the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) as he readies for the HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at the HK$130 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.