Voyage Bubble’s historic Triple Crown triumph prompted Ascot officials to invite the Hong Kong superstar to run in July’s Group One King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,406m), but connections have knocked back the offer.
Voyage Bubble gained international attention for his stunning Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) victory last month, which saw him become the first horse in 31 years and second all time to claim Hong Kong’s Triple Crown.
The Deep Field gelding demolished his rivals by three and a half lengths to cap an outstanding campaign that also featured Group One successes in the Hong Kong Mile, Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) and Gold Cup (2,000m).
While Ricky Yiu Poon-fai was honoured to receive the invite for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the veteran trainer said he wouldn’t be swayed from his plan to race Voyage Bubble in Hong Kong and not return overseas.
UNBELIEVABLE! 🤯
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 25, 2025
31 years since River Verdon won the #TripleCrown for the first time, Hong Kong has a second winner of the series in Voyage Bubble, who makes light work of his Champions & Chater Cup rivals... 🏆🏆🏆@WorldPool | @mcacajamez | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/bIP5MwdPxa
“He’s not going,” Yiu said. “I don’t think [he will race overseas again]. He’s not young any more.
“He pulled up brilliant from his last run. He just went up to Conghua [on Wednesday] and he’ll have four weeks of easy time there.”
Voyage Bubble’s two international raids went awry last year. He copped interference from a fallen horse at a crucial stage when an unlucky 10th in the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) at Meydan before failing to handle racing in the anticlockwise direction when 17th behind Romantic Warrior in the Group One Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) at Tokyo racecourse.
A leading contender for Hong Kong Horse of the Year honours along with Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, Voyage Bubble is likely to be set for 2,000m features such as the Group One Hong Kong Cup and Group One QE II Cup next season.
While Romantic Warrior’s future remains clouded after he underwent fetlock surgery last week, December’s Hong Kong Cup could feature a blockbuster clash between Voyage Bubble and star Australian mare Via Sistina.
Brilliant mare! Via Sistina equals Winx's record of seven Group 1 wins in a season with victory over Dubai Honour in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes! pic.twitter.com/oPToW7R27y
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 12, 2025
A Hong Kong trip last December was mooted for Via Sistina before eventually being ruled out, but connections have already put it on the agenda for the end of this year.
“That is definitely a possibility,” Yulong Investments chief operating officer Sam Fairgray told Australian radio station RSN.
“Mr Zhang [Yuesheng] would love to be able to take her there and take on the internationals. That’s definitely high on the cards for her.”
Via Sistina racked up seven Group One victories for trainer Chris Waller this season, with her record-breaking eight-length blitz in the Cox Plate (2,040m) at Moonee Valley the highlight.
Meanwhile, Yiu will be represented by a squad of seven runners at Sha Tin on Sunday as he bids to consolidate third place in the trainers’ championship.
Ricky Yiu heads to Sha Tin on Sunday with a seven-strong team.
Ahren shapes as the 67-year-old’s best chance after recording a dominant win at start three and an agonisingly close second to Call Me Glorious last start.
However, Ahren clashes with another promising three-year-old, Jimmy Ting Koon-ho’s unbeaten Little Paradise, in the Class Three Tin Wan Handicap (1,200m).
“His biggest contender is Jimmy Ting’s horse. They are the top two,” Yiu said.
Miracle Fighter, The Concentration, Etalon Or, Drala, Dragon Joy and Jolly Ruler are the other weekend runners for Yiu, who has prepared 48 winners this term.
