Soleil Fighter takes Group plunge in Celebration Cup

By Paul Ryding

All three of last season’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series winners headline a high-quality field in Sunday’s (27 September) Sha Tin feature, which also includes one of the city’s leading sprinters and a Group winner with an eye on becoming this season’s top miler.

It’s into this company that David Hayes pitches Soleil Fighter (117lb), making his Group-race debut following a progressive season in 2025/26. Hayes says it’s sink or swim for his six-year-old son of Sea The Moon.

“He’s quietly gone up to that sort of above-100 rating,” Hayes said. “He’s been a wonderful horse, and now we’ve got to see if he can swim with the big boys.”

Four-time Group winner and mile specialist Galaxy Patch (135lb) and sprint star Helios Express (135lb) begin their campaigns in the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m). It’s an unfamiliar distance for both: neither has a win from three runs each over 1400m, but both are Group 1-placed over the trip.

Last season’s Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hero Invincible Ibis (127lb), as well as the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) winner Stormy Grove (118lb) and Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) victor Little Paradise (124lb) make Sunday’s feature a stern test of Soleil Fighter’s credentials.

His case wasn’t aided by a below-par first-up run on the opening day of the season, when he finished seventh of eight in a Class 2 1400-metre handicap.

“He didn’t get the best of runs that day,” Hayes said. “I’d say he’ll improve a lot, but he probably needs to. He’s got to run a personal best to beat those horses.”

Soleil Fighter won twice last season over 1800 and 1600 metres with Hugh Bowman and apprentice Nichola Yuen in the saddle, respectively. Both were all-the-way wins.

Yuen steps aside for this weekend’s assignment as Harry Bentley hops aboard, becoming Soleil Fighter’s 13th different rider in Hong Kong.

Although not regularly campaigned over 1400 metres (just four of Soleil Fighter’s 35 runs have come at the distance for one third-place finish), Hayes maintains that a front-running effort under a featherweight might provide his charge an opportunity.

“I think 1400 (metres) on the fresh side will be fine,” Hayes said. “If he could race giving himself the box seat or leading, he’s always hard to pass with a lightweight.”

With Soleil Fighter drawn in gate seven, a positive start could be key to securing the position Hayes wants in the race.

For all the challenge posed by Sunday’s assignment, two-time Hong Kong Champion Trainer Hayes is confident he sees more wins in the gelding’s future.

“I think he’ll win another class race, but it’s probably easier at Happy Valley for him,” Hayes said.

Sunday’s (27 September) 11-race fixture at Sha Tin starts at 12.45 a.m. Eastern with the Class 5 Tropicbird Handicap (1200m).