Red Lion Has Plenty Of Bite In Champions Mile

[Wandering Eyes]

Red Lion (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) has hit the crossbars in group company plenty of times in Hong Kong, and the John Size trainee broke his black-type duck in fighting fashion, taking the G1 FWD Champions Mile by a short head over multiple Group 1 winner Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}).

Sent off at 90-1, the Ronald and Johanna Arculli silksbearer jumped straight to the head of affairs, covering the first quarter mile in :24.50 while pressed by Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Voyage Bubble stalked from third. After a half-mile in :47.27, Red Lion still had a three-quarter length lead on Voyage Bubble who was moving ominously to his outside. That margin was gradually whittled down, and with 400 metres remaining the top two began to slug it out in earnest.

Hugh Bowman grew animated aboard his charge in the final furlong, and that paid off, as Red Lion fought off Voyage Bubble by a bob. Sunlight Power (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}) closed up the rail to take third. There was an inquiry into a brushing incident between the leading pair in the closing stages, but the stewards ended up making no change to the finishing order.

A former chairman of the Kong Kong Jockey Club, Arculli also raced globetrotter Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), and Hong Kong Triple Crown winner Red Verdon (Ire) (Be My Native) (1993/94).

“He just kept going and kept fighting–under the circumstances, it's very hard to beat a horse in that frame of mind,” Size said.

“The owners are one of the groups of people in Hong Kong who buy and race lots of horses in this jurisdiction. Anyone who does that deserves some success and they've had a lot of good luck on the racetrack.”

Winning jockey Hugh Bowman added, “He ran second in the race last year. Congratulations to John and the ownership group because he's such a consistent horse and he's a worthy Group 1 winner, but I'm a bit lost for words to be honest.”

Of beaten 3-5 chalk Voyage Bubble, James McDonald said, “He was super. I was really proud of his effort.”

Second in this race a year ago to Sunday's 10th-place finisher Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), the gelding was winning for the first time since successful in a Class 1 handicap over 1400 metres in February of 2024. Third to Voyage Bubble in the G1 Stewards' Cup in January, he was fifth in the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup to Sunday's G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize hero Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) in February. He prepped for this contest with a sixth-place run in the G2 Chairman's Trophy in March.

Pedigree Notes

Bearstone Stud's Belardo is now the sire of a pair of top-level winners, with Red Lion joining GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile scorer Gold Phoenix (Ire) in that sphere. The sire of 15 stakes winners and nine group winners, he stands for £5,500 this year.

Crystal Idea (Ire) (Namid {GB}), a winner over a mile at three, has four foals to her credit, of which Red Lion is the most accomplished. Her latest is the 3-year-old filly Sinach (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), who has yet to race. Red Lion's granddam Great Idea (Ire) (Lion Cavern) is a half-sister to G3 Noblesse Stakes heroine Grace O'Malley (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}), while G1 Derby hero and sire Sir Percy (GB) is under the fourth dam.

 

RED LION ROARS!

It's an 89/1 shocker in the FWD Champions Mile at Sha Tin for @HugeBowman and John Size as Red Lion lands his first Group 1 over Voyage Bubble… #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/BoYbwGqmmt

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025

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