Regaleira can become the first two-time winner of the Grade 1 Arima Kinen in more than a decade when she starts as the expected favorite in the popular race at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan on Sunday.

Part of the field of 16 is determined by a fan ballot and Regaleira finished first in recent voting. A 4-year-old, Regaleira has won 5 of 11 starts, including two Grade 1 races other than the 2024 Arima Kinen – the 2023 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama against males, and the Queen Elizabeth Cup at 1 3/8 miles against fillies and mares at Kyoto on Nov. 16.

Justin Vista has the experience of a recent graded stakes win at 1 1/4 miles on turf when he starts at the same distance in Saturday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan.

Late-year distance races for juveniles are common in Japan. Justin Vista, trained by Tatsuya Yoshioka, is unbeaten in two starts, both at Kyoto Racecourse – a race for first-time starters at 1 1/8 miles on Oct. 13, and the Grade 3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on Nov. 29, closing from seventh in a field of 11.

Paul Lally:
R1 9-2-3-5
R2 2-8-3-13
R3 5-6-4-9
R4 1-3-6-7
R5 9-1-6-2
R6 2-7-1-5
R7 7-5-4-10
R8 10-1-4-13
R9 8-11-1-4
R10 5-6-4-3

Best Bet R2 N2 Aurio
Longshot R6 N2 Star Satyr
Plays R10 QQP 4-5-6

Tom Wood:
R1: 9-10-2-3
R2: 2-8-10-3
R3: 6-5-7-2
R4: 3-1-5-7
R5: 9-1-6-2
R6: 6-1-7-2
R7: 10-4-5-13
R8: 10-4-6-1
R9: 13-4-8-14
R10: 5-6-9-7

By Leo Schlink

Mark Newnham hopes Bravehearts can capitalise on favourable handicap conditions and reprise winning form when the Group 1-winning Argentine import contests the HK$3.12 million Class 2 Long Ke Handicap (2000m) at Sha Tin on Saturday (27 December).

Twice a winner over this course and distance, Bravehearts has not won since triumphed in 11 starts since winning this race at the corresponding meeting last season but Newnham is optimistic this weekend’s impost of only 115lb will spark a return to form.

Sha Tin Selections
(Saturday, December 27, 2025)

By Declan Schuster

Frankie Lor is hopeful Regal Gem (120lb) can secure a hat-trick of wins in Tuesday’s (23 December) HK$3.12 million Class 2 Neptune Handicap (1650m) at Happy Valley, provided the three-year-old overcomes a significant rise in distance and the seasoned opposition trying to stop him.    

Nick Child
R1 | 3-6-11-12
R2 | 1-7-12-9
R3 | 10-6-2-11
R4 | 1-8-5-3
R5 | 11-7-3-2
R6 | 2-8-1-6
R7 | 5-8-4-12
R8 | 10-2-7-1
R9 | 7-3-2-1

BEST BET | R6-2 WROTE A NEW PAGE
VALUE BET | R7-5 SWEET BRIAR
PLAY | R8 (Q/QP 2-7-10)

Paul Lally
R1 | 6-3-5-4
R2 | 2-1-12-5
R3 | 6-8-10-11
R4 | 1-2-5-8
R5 | 12-2-3-11
R6 | 6-3-2-8
R7 | 9-1-10-8
R8 | 3-11-2-12
R9 | 3-1-2-4

Happy Valley Selections
(Tuesday, December 23, 2025)

Cavallerizzo closed from ninth in a field of 14 to reach the front in the final strides of Sunday’s Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity for 2-year-olds at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan.

Ridden by Cristian Demuro, Cavallerizzo (who paid $9 in American pools) caught 6-1 Diamond Knot late to win the one-mile turf race by three-quarters of a length. Admire Quads, who won his first two starts and was the 2-1 favorite, rallied wide through the final half-mile but could not threaten the first two finishers, losing by 1 3/4 lengths.

By Declan Schuster

Mark Newnham reached a significant milestone on Saturday (20 December) at Sha Tin as leading Four-Year-Old Classic Series prospect, Invincible Ibis (130lb), passed yet another crucial test on his march towards the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) – the opening leg of the three-race age-restricted challenge – on 1 February.