Zac Purton will play hero and possibly villain as Hong Kong superstars Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior make their 2026 reappearance at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The champion jockey will get back in the seat of his F1 ride as Ka Ying Rising returns in the Centenary Sprint Cup, while he will be on Voyage Bubble as he looks to defend his title for a third time and turn over Romantic Warrior in the Stewards Cup.
“It’s one of those days where I could get one or I could get two,” Purton said. “I’m on two of the best horses in Hong Kong.”
Ka Ying Rising will be out to match the great Silent Witness’ record of 17 straight wins in the racing mecca as the Hong Kong Speed Series begins, which he won last year. Only Silent Witness has won the speed Series twice.
“It’s the smallest field he has faced for a while and it looks pretty straightforward,” Purton said.
“Sometimes you have something being a pest but he should be right. He has that high cruising speed and can kick off that, so we just want to let him do his stuff.”
Since his Hong Kong International Sprint win, Ka Ying Rising has been up to Conghua training facility in China and it has him in the right frame of mind.
“It is about three hours from Sha Tin and more relaxed, so it’s good for a little break and he loves it up there,” Purton said. “You can just feel it in him when he comes back.”
“We want to keep him fresh and get back to Australia for The Everest again.”
If Hong Kong stars were the three kings of Christmas, Voyage Bubble would be bringing the myrrh.
Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising have international profiles and records that make them known to all racing fans worldwide.
Voyage Bubble is a seven-time Group 1 winner, which started with the Hong Kong Derby and has won the past two Hong Kong International Miles and Stewards Cups.
“He is in the shadow of the other two, really,” Purton said. “He is still a very good horse and a very good miler.”
“Is he as good as Romantic Warrior? Probably not.”
“But if things go right for us and wrong for him, we can beat him.”
“Romantic Warrior will be behind us and I’ll be hoping he can’t get past us.”
