        |
|
 |
2025 Year in Review Santa Anita Opening Day Hong Kong Cup Results Hong Kong Jockey Challenge Hong Kong Cup woeks |
|
|
 Winning jockey Zac Purton celebrates aboard Voyage Bubble after winning the Hong Kong Mile |
In the HK$36 million (US$4.62 million) Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1), the world's richest turf mile race, a full field of 14 older horses went to post for the 1600 meter (about 1 mile) trip around one turn of the Sha Tin turf. Sha Tin Trophy (G2) winner My Wish was sent off as the 5-2 favorite off his second place finish in the Jockey Club Mile (G2), the main local prep. In to challenge him included 11-4 second choice and defending champion Voyage Bubble off his second place finish in the Jockey Club Cup (G2), and 6-1 third choice Soul Rush, winner of the Dubai Turf (G1) at Meydan in April but off a disappointing 6th in the Mile Championship (G1) at Kyoto.
Jockey Alexis Badel sent 83-1 Pray for Mir to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 24.50, 46.83, and 1:09.99 while pressed by Voyage Bubble and stalked by Soul Rush and 47-1 Copartner Prance. Turning for home, Pray for Mir tired badly as Voyage Bubble, confidently ridden by Zac Purton, gained the lead and held off Soul Rush to win by 1/2 a length in 1:33.47. It was another 1 3/4 length back to late-running 51-1 Red Lion third, while favorite My Wish was as far back as ninth early and checked in sixth beaten 3 lengths.
 |
# Horse Jockey Win Place 2 Voyage Bubble Purton 7.20 3.30 1 Soul Rush Demuro 5.30 8 Red Lion Bowman 21.70 Winning Time: 1:33.47 $2 Quinella 1-2 24.70 $2 Exacta 2-1 48.40 $2 Trifecta 2-1-8 1,434.40Results Chart from HKJC with video replay |
Left: Voyage Bubble in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Ricky Yiu said, "The horse has great heart. A lot of credit goes to the jockey, Zac, he did it so well. It seemed to me that he'd ridden the horse for a long time, but obviously, he knew him well from his last start. Although he's seven, I don't really feel the age of him. He's still full of beans. After we got beaten last time we decided to go for the Mile."
Right: Voyage Bubble heads back to the barn. Winning jockey Zac Purton said, "I think he just showed what type of horse he is. He's not the horse who is 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, unfortunately, but in his own right, he's a supremely good horse. A Triple Crown winner, he's come back today off the canvas to win. When Soul Rush couldn't put me away, I could feel my horse start to gain a little bit more confidence and with 75m to go, I started to think, 'hang on, we're back in this.'"
Left: Voyage Bubble heads out to the track before the race. Yiu said of the ownership group Sunsine and Moonlight Syndicate "It's a really nice group of people. Every time the horse runs, they're cheering."
Right: All the connections and officials pose with the trophy and winner's banner after the trophy presentation for the Hong Kong Mile. Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said, "Coming to the Mile, only two times in the history of Hong Kong racing, we have only two winners of the Triple Crown and that Voyage Bubble is able to beat a top-class horse in Soul Rush, who beat Romantic Warrior in Dubai, is incredible. The way he showed tremendous eagerness and determination to catch Soul Rush in the final 50 metres was remarkable. I congratulate Zac and Ricky."
Left: Second place finisher Soul Rush heads out to the track before the race. Jockey Cristian Demuro said, "He ran very good, we had a good trip, I came maybe a little bit too early but the other horse was so strong."
Right: Third place finisher Red Lion heads out to the track before the race. Jockey Hugh Bowman said, "Fantastic again, very courageous horse."
For more info:
Back to Horse-Races.Net main page
| Search Horse-Races.Net: |
