Travel talk was flying thick and fast around Sha Tin after Voyage Bubble’s breakthrough Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) victory on Sunday, and the next five months present trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai with the perfect opportunity to find out exactly what he has at his disposal.

While much of the chat after Voyage Bubble’s maiden elite-level success centred around the mile being his sweet spot, it would seem a tad hasty to pigeon-hole the five-year-old just as he’s coming into his own.

Yiu has ruled out a return to the distance of his Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) triumph – “he just managed to win against his own age” – while jockey James McDonald was adamant when saying on Sunday that “I personally think his distance is a mile, he’s a sharp miler”.

What about 1,800m? While it’s a distance not available at the top level in Hong Kong, there are some who think the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) on World Cup night at Meydan in March would be the ideal target.

It shapes as a superior option to the other race being considered, the Group One Doncaster Mile on April 6.

A week later than the Dubai Turf, the Doncaster Mile is run under handicap conditions – McDonald was quick to reference the risk of a heavy weight – and the fact it’s in Sydney also brings the very real possibility of a heavy track.

The rigours of travelling to Australia were well documented during Romantic Warrior’s recent trip and the quarantine requirements on return to Hong Kong would make it difficult for Voyage Bubble to be at his best in the Group One Champions Mile at Sha Tin on April 28, just 22 days after the Doncaster.

There’s also the opportunity for connections to test Voyage Bubble over 1,400m at the top level this season.

Voyage Bubble begins changing of the guard with commanding Stewards’ Cup success

He won at the trip in Class Three as a three-year-old and for milers with no interest in stretching out to the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m), as Golden Sixty has done the past three seasons, the Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) on March 10 looms as the next option.

After declaring “the world’s his oyster” while discussing Voyage Bubble’s overseas options at Sunday’s post-race press conference, McDonald – perhaps aware of the presence of Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges – reminded everyone of the riches available on home soil.

“The beauty about Hong Kong racing is there are so many options there and with Golden Sixty being at the ripe old age he is, the baton needs to be changed eventually,” said the Kiwi superstar. “He might be the new kid on the block, especially over 1,400m to a mile, and Hong Kong caters so well for that.”

From here, it’s not impossible Voyage Bubble could tackle defending champion Lucky Sweynesse in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, the Dubai Turf on March 30 and the Champions Mile, which shapes as Golden Sixty’s farewell race, at the end of April.

Then, if the sporting endeavour of connections hasn’t run dry, he could take his chance at a mile overseas in June’s Group One Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) in Japan.

Voyage Bubble dusted up the Japanese when second behind Golden Sixty in last month’s Group One Hong Kong Mile, including Group One Mile Championship winner Namur, and could well sort them out on their patch, too.

It would be an ambitious campaign, no doubt, but one that could be right in the wheelhouse of a lightly raced Voyage Bubble described by McDonald as “at the peak of his powers”. Even losing all four races wouldn’t stop him returning next season and assuming Golden Sixty’s mantle as the city’s premier miler.

It might be wishful thinking but if connections did embrace such a task, Yiu, who already boasts Group One wins in Dubai and Japan, would certainly know by June just what his charge is capable of.

No Classic Mile for Patch

Galaxy Patch will miss February 4’s Classic Mile after all, with Pierre Ng Pang-chi’s classy speedster absent from the entries for the first leg of the four-year-old series after connections agonised over the decision last week.

Galaxy Patch is the notable absentee from a Classic Mile that has only attracted 15 entries and looks devoid of depth, with only the 62-rated Star Mac likely to miss the field.

Helios Express is the clear stand-out on a mark of 102, while Howdeepisyourlove and Helene Feeling boast ratings in the 90s and Chill Chibi, Beauty Crescent, Fallon and Chancheng Glory bring good form into the contest.

Frankie Lor Fu-chuen’s Dream Winner adds a certain level of intrigue to the race, with the struggling sprinter set to tackle further than 1,200m for the first time.