Ka Ying Rising One Of 28 Top-Level Winners Among FWD Champions Day Entries

[Wandering Eyes]

A total of 28 Group/Grade 1 winners have been entered for the HK$74-million FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on Apr. 27 which features a trio of Group 1 races. There are 95 horses vying for starts in the 2000-metre HK$28-million G1 FWD QEII Cup, 1600-metre HK$24-million G1 FWD Champions Mile and 1200-metre HK$22-million G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize.

The local defense is anchored by Sprint Prize entrant Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) and miler Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), as well as the winners of the 2024 Mile and Sprint Prize last year in Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Invincible Sage (Aus) (Thronum {Aus}), respectively. Hong Kong's star sprinter has won his last 10 races in a row and is aiming for his fourth Group 1 in a row.

Europe is also sending some prominent entries, among them the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained G1 King George winner Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who is co-owned by American John Stewart's Resolute Racing. The gelding is pointing for the Cup. Andrew Balding's well-traveled The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) is hoping to improve off a fourth in the 2024 Longines Hong Kong Cup, while trainer William Haggas sends four led by Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) as well as Group 1-placed and 2024 Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never). They are targeting the Cup and Sprint.

There is a 25-strong Japanese contingent led by Japanese Filly Triple Crown heroine Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) who are both contesting the FWD QEII Cup after running second and third in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December.

Isivunguvungu (SAf) (What A Winter {SAf}) is being prepared for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint next month by trainer Graham Motion, who has entered the South African Group 1 winner for the Chairman's Sprint Prize. One of the most well-traveled runners is Australian Group 1 winner Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. The son of Wootton Bassett is cross-entered for the FWD Champions Mile and FWD QEII Cup, but has the Mile as his first choice.

Andrew Harding, executive director, racing, Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), said, “We are delighted with the spread of entries and quality of interest in this year's FWD Champions Day features–including 56 entries from our overseas friends and 39 from Hong Kong, laying the foundation for another wonderful staging of our spring flagship meeting.

“The excitement that the world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising brings each time he races is electric and we cannot wait to see him tested once more against international opposition in the Chairman's Sprint Prize. Exceptional miler Voyage Bubble has gone from strength to strength across the last six months and he will face another exciting challenge next month.

“Our global champion Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {Ire}) has given us some incredible memories this year in Dubai and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so while we are disappointed not to see him go for a fourth win in the FWD QEII Cup, we are immensely proud of his efforts, and his absence opens the door for what shapes as a remarkably competitive FWD QEII Cup.”

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