Soul Rush set for grand finale in LONGINES Hong Kong Mile

By Toshihiro Onikubo

Yasutoshi Ikee’s dual Group 1 winner, Soul Rush, will have his last race at Sha Tin on Sunday (14 December) after a sparkling career, which has brought nine wins from 28 starts, including the G1 Mile Championship (1600m) and the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m).

The seven-year-old horse won his first graded stakes race in 2022 when he was four years old, yet his first Group 1 success was the Mile Championship in 2024 as a six-year-old. “I was filled with emotion at that time because I always wanted him to have a stud career. Winning a G1 over a mile was a desirable result,” Ikee recalled.

Soul Rush subsequently won the Dubai Turf this past April by beating Hong Kong, China’s all-conquering Romantic Warrior by a nose. “I wasn’t sure if he had won it at all,” Ikee said.

Cristian Demuro delivered the first overseas success for both Soul Rush and his owner, Tatsue Ishikawa. “He showed great turn of foot, and I thought he won, but it took so long for the results to be made official,” Ishikawa continued. “A big thanks to Cristian!”

Soul Rush suffered a minor fracture after he placed in the G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) last June. The son of Rulership returned in the G2 Fuji Stakes (1600m) and finished third, before a disappointing sixth in the latest renewal of the Mile Championship last month.

“He moved well, as usual. His reaction and breathing are good too,” Ikee said after Soul Rush breezed on the turf track at Sha Tin on Thursday (11 December).

At a ceremony later on Thursday, Ikee drew barrier 11 for his charge in Sunday’s HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m). “It’s not too bad. It might be tricky with Voyage Bubble in stall 12, outside of him, because he would be better off being covered,” Ikee said. “It will be crucial how he jumps from the gates and where he sits in the early stage of the race.”

Sunday’s race will be Soul Rush’s third LONGINES Hong Kong Mile appearance. His team is aiming to claim another overseas G1 success with Cristian Demuro, and Ikee concluded, “He has got great support from racing fans and we would like to celebrate once more with them.”

Sunday’s (14 December) 10-race fixture at Sha Tin starts at 12.25pm with the Class 4 Fairy King Prawn Handicap (1400m).