Hong Kong stars came out to play on Sha Tin’s biggest day as Ka Ying Rising, then Voyage Bubble and finally the star act Romantic Warrior won in front of an adoring crowd on Sunday.
After Sosie gave France the Hong Kong Vase, Ka Ying Rising started the ball rolling for the locals. As expected, punters piled into the sprint champion, sending him out a prohibitive $1.03 favourite on a track where the inside was clearly off.
It didn’t worry the superstar, who has more than a couple of lengths on his rivals in Hong Kong.
Zac Purton went straight to the lead, slipped away on the turn and never really had to drop Ka Ying Rising into overdrive as he beat Raging Blizzard and Fast Network.
Incredible! 🤯
KA YING RISING dazzles in the Group One Longines Hong Kong Sprint with a dominant performance from the front… 🏆@HKJC_Racing | @HongKong_Racing | #HKIR | #HKRacing pic.twitter.com/ru2Z4muRxs
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 14, 2025
“The fence is obviously no good, so I had to get off it, and when I looked at the big screen I was a long way in front,” Purton said.
“It was what everyone was hoping to see here on a big day. His last win showed us that was on the cards today.”
“He’s in a league of his own now. Track bias was a concern going into the race but he travelled beautifully throughout.”
Ka Ying Rising was only half a second outside the 1200m record, running 1:07.70, and trainer David Hayes joked he would break the record and the 1:07 barrier if a bonus was involved.
“I reckon 1:06-something. If they were giving us $1 million for a record, he’d run 1:06, but there’s no need,” Hayes quipped.
“The last two wins have been his easiest on the eye. That record, on the right day, he’ll break his own record pretty soon.”
“Zac has been easing him down the past couple of races. It’s great to have a horse like this.”
Voyage Bubble suffers in the shadow of Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, but he made it back-to-back wins in the Hong Kong Mile, fighting back to beat Japan’s Soul Rush.
So tough! 💪
VOYAGE BUBBLE battles hard to beat Soul Rush and keep his G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile crown 👑 #HKIR | #HKracing
pic.twitter.com/EzXtQFsG9l— World Horse Racing (@WHR) December 14, 2025
Purton was again in the saddle and praised the gutsy effort from Voyage Bubble.
“I think he just showed what type of horse he is. He’s not going to give you a ‘wow’ performance, but he’s got such a big heart that he’s always up for the fight.”
“He’s in the shadow of the big two, Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, unfortunately, but in his own right he’s an extremely good horse.”
The best was saved for last as Romantic Warrior joined names like Winx, Yeats and Vinnie Roe by winning the same Group 1 four times in the Hong Kong Cup.
What an amazing horse, Romantic Warrior! 💙
History is made at Sha Tin as Danny Shum’s Hong Kong International Sale graduate wins a fourth consecutive @LONGINES Hong Kong Cup with @mcacajamez…#LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/S0EWCjVb9z
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 14, 2025
Sent out at $1.10, James McDonald positioned his favourite horse perfectly and had the Cup won in a matter of strides, beating Bellagio Opera and Quisisana.
“He’s so special. He is just a freak,” McDonald said.
It is a fitting description of racing’s global superstar as he joins Winx with four Cox Plates, Yeats with four Ascot Gold Cups and Vinnie Roe with four Irish St Legers as an immortal of world racing.
He will now head back to the Saudi Cup for another desert duel with Forever Young, the best dirt horse in the world, on his preferred surface, where he nosed Romantic Warrior out of victory earlier this year.
