Already a prolific winner in his brief career, Costa Nova won his Grade 1 debut in Sunday’s $1.564 million February Stakes for older horses at one mile on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse, earning a fees-paid berth to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Costa Nova, who paid $10.30 in American pools, was ridden by the Australia-based Rachel King, who is riding in Japan on a short-term license through March 4. King became the first female rider to win a Grade 1 flat race in Japan aboard Costa Nova.

The three-time stakes winner Emperor Wakea will start in a Grade 1 for the first time in Sunday’s $1.564 million February Stakes at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, that nation’s first top-level race of the year.

The February Stakes, for 4-year-olds and older, may have international ramifications. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1, provided the horse is nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program.

Tom Wood:
R1: 7-2-6-11 
R2: 2-1-7-6
R3: 2-8-7-6
R4: 8-2-12-10 
R5: 1-4-7-5 
R6: 10-11-3-4
R7: 1-2-4-3 
R8: 8-9-13-5
R9: 12-11-10-2
R10: 14-8-3-4
BEST: R1 N7 SHAMUS STORM (WIN) 
VALUE: R6 N10 LUCKY GENERATIONS (EW) 
PLAY: R1 QQP 2,6,7

Field of Play has earned approximately $184,600 by winning his first two starts in Australia since late December. A chunk of that was needed to pay a supplemental fee of more than $34,000 to make the gelding eligible to Friday’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.

The $1.28 million Blue Diamond Stakes was not originally a goal for Field of Play. Early nominations closed in 2024.

By Leo Schlink

Ricky Yiu believes Voyage Bubble is perfectly poised to extend a dominating season after drawing barrier one in the HK$13 million G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 February).

Bidding for a fourth Group 1, Voyage Bubble will face nine rivals – Galaxy Patch, Chancheng Glory, Ensued, Happy Together, Straight Arron, Five G Patch, La City Blanche, Sword Point and Winning Dragon – in quest a 10th career victory.

Sha Tin Selections
(Sunday, February 23, 2025)

Fresh from a double last weekend, Andrea Atzeni will resume his quest for top-level Hong Kong success when he partners Beauty Eternal and Sword Point at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 February) in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m), respectively.

With 31 Group 1 triumphs spread across his native Italy, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, Atzeni boasts 1,372 wins in a globe-trotting career but he is yet to strike at the elite level in Hong Kong, where he has amassed 74 victories.

David Hayes hopes Soleil Fighter can lay the platform for a memorable week by building an unassailable lead in the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (19 February) as the dual Hong Kong champion trainer prepares to unleash Ka Ying Rising in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 February).