Voyage Bubble ($93.60) rallies from last to take Hong Kong Derby

Never mind the wide post position, the slow pace or even a dull prep race. Voyage Bubble was at his best in the richest race of his career on Sunday in the $3.05 million Hong Kong Derby for 4-year-olds at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.

Closing from last in a field of 14, Voyage Bubble ($93.60) won the Hong Kong Derby a nose over 10-1 Tuchel, who finished a nose in front of 6-5 favorite Beauty Eternal.

Voyage Bubble ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.78 after chasing an opening half-mile in 52.09 seconds. Ridden by Alexis Badel, Voyage Bubble closed with a wide rally to reach contention in early stretch. He was fourth with a furlong remaining in pursuit of pacesetter Keefy, who faded to finish fourth by only three-quarters of a length.

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Voyage Bubble, an Australian-bred by the Northern Meteor stallion Deep Field, took the lead in the final strides. The win gave the 33-year-old Badel and 65-year-old trainer Ricky Yiu their first titles in the Hong Kong Derby.

Voyage Bubble broke from the outside, which Badel said helped the gelding’s chances. With a wide draw, Badel had no plans to urge Voyage Bubble to the front in a short run to the first turn on the right-handed course.

“I had my horse relaxed early and I saved ground and then I had no hesitation to improve a bit on the back straight,” Badel told Hong Kong publicity. The horse was tough. He’s got a great heart and he really showed some quality in the straight.”

Voyage Bubble has won 4 of 10 starts since the beginning of his career in January 2022. The Hong Kong Derby was his second stakes win of the year, preceded by the $1.528 million Hong Kong Classic on Jan. 29, the first leg of the circuit’s Triple Crown. Voyage Bubble was sixth by four lengths to Super Sunny Sing in the $1.528 million Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 26, the second race in the series.

The Hong Kong Derby was the final race. Super Sunny Sing, the 2-1 second choice in the Hong Kong Derby, finished eighth, beaten three lengths.

In the race preceding the Hong Kong Derby, the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at seven furlongs, Lucky Sweynesse ($5.20) stalked pacesetter California Spangle to the final furlong before pulling away to beat that rival by 1 1/4 lengths for his third consecutive win.

Ridden by James McDonald, Lucky Sweynesse was timed in 1:21.12.

A winner of 10 of 14 starts, Lucky Sweynesse won the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup at six furlongs on Feb. 5.

In the $1.528 million Jubilee Cup, California Spangle was the 3-5 favorite on the basis of a win in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile against an international field in December and a third behind the brilliant Golden Sixty in the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup at a mile in January.

Lucky Sweynesse, a 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding by the Lonhro stallion Sweynesse, is trained by Manfred Man and has won four group stakes in Hong Kong since late November.

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