Paul Lally
R1: 12-1-10-11
R2: 5-12-1-2
R3: 10-6-11-1
R4: 1-5-3-6
R5: 7-1-4-2
R6: 6-14-7-10
R7: 8-6-1-7
R8: 9-3-6-10
R9: 6-13-4-12
Best Bet: R7 N8 California Star
Longshot: R2 N5 Wiseman
Play: R9 QQP 4-6-13
By Declan Schuster
Ricky Yiu has declared it’s all systems go for Voyage Bubble ahead of his six-time Group 1 winner’s Triple Crown defence, which begins in Sunday’s (25 January) HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) at Sha Tin, when he clashes with Romantic Warrior.
“He had a really good gallop on Saturday (17 January). He’s fit and he wasn’t blowing at all. Very good signs,” Yiu said. “The feedback from Zac (Purton) was very promising. It seems as though the horse has never had a run and that he is coping with everything.”
In the fifth instalment of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Road to the Derby series, we profile a contender who has charged up the ratings this season – the Jimmy Ting-trained Little Paradise.
With less than two weeks until the first leg of the prestigious 2025/26 Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February – and with the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March on the horizon, Little Paradise’s mark of 95 makes him one of the highest-rated gallopers of his age in the city.
Six-time Group 1-winning sprinter Ka Ying Rising has been crowned Timeform’s Horse of the Year (2025). Trained by David Hayes, last season’s Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2024/25) also earned the accolade as Timeform’s Champion Sprinter (2025).
A record-breaking phenom, Ka Ying Rising has earned HK$122.57 million and has won 17 of 19 career starts, including 16 in succession – equal to Golden Sixty’s record and one shy of Silent Witness’ all-time record in the city (17).
By Paul Ryding
Champion trainer John Size is ramping up his bid for a 14th title this weekend as he prepares to send a squad of 13 runners to the 11-race meeting at Sha Tin.
Size’s contingent for Sunday’s (18 January) 15th National Games Hong Kong Medallists Raceday equals his largest of the season as he seeks to close the gap on the premiership leaders. His 17 wins so far place him in eighth position, 15 wins behind leader Mark Newnham as the 2025/26 season approaches the midway point.
The undefeated colt Warwoven and the three-time winner Ninja will be the favorites to win two of the three seven-figure sale progeny races on the Magic Millions program at Gold Coast Racecourse south of Brisbane, Australia, early Saturday.
Warwoven, a winner at five and six furlongs in two starts since Dec. 20, leads a field of 16 in the $2.01 million Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic at six furlongs. By the Snitzel stallion Sword of State, Warwoven drew post 6 and will be a factor as a stalker for jockey Rachel King.
By Leo Schlink
Bidding to equal Silent Witness’ long-standing record for the most consecutive wins by a Hong Kong, China-trained horse, Ka Ying Rising swept to an imperious barrier trial victory at Sha Tin this morning (Thursday, 15 January) ahead of his tilt at history on 25 January.
By Leo Schlink
Francis Lui soared into rarified territory with Speed Dragon’s spectacular G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (14 January), becoming only the sixth trainer in Hong Kong, China racing history to saddle 1,000 wins or more in the jurisdiction.