There was plenty of excitement at Sha Tin on Sunday with the lead up races for International Day next month won by some very familiar names – a Kiwi bred up and coming sprint star, a high class Aussie bred miler and a Cox Plate winner – with two of them ridden by James McDonald!
Four year-old Shamexpress gelding Ka Ying Rising (NZ) continued his march up the sprinting ranks scoring a comprehensive three length victory in the Group II BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) breaking the track record when clocking 1:07.43 seconds
Second in the G1 HK International Mile last year behind Golden Sixty, six year-old Deep Field gelding Voyage Bubble will be looking to go one better after scoring a stylish win in the Group II BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m).
2023 Cox Plate hero Romantic Warrior (IRE) was back in the winning groove taking out the Group II BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) and will be looking to win the G1 HK International Cup for the third year in a row. He raced away tow in by more than four lengths in an utterly dominant display.