Voyage Bubble may be seven years old but trainer Ricky Yiu will not hear of his six-time winning Group One galloper being anywhere near past his best.
Yiu’s thinking was there in reality on the track as Voyage Bubble ($3.60) fought back from being headed with Zac Purton aboard in the last 200-metres by Japanese miler Soul Rush ($12) to be in front when it counted in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m).
“That was the 2000-metres back to 1600,” Purton said.
“He was a little bit dour but I could feel my horse start to gain again when Soul Rush hadn’t put him away. At the 75 (metre mark), I thought, ‘hang on, we’re in this.'”
Purton, who had already tasted victory on the Hong Kong International Race Day aboard Ka Ying Rising in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), added that Voyage Bubble would be remembered as one of the country’s greatest horses.
“He has been outstanding winning the Triple Crown and to come out and go back-to-back in the Hong Kong Mile is not an easy thing to do.
“It just shows the heart and courage he’s got.”
The conversation around one of Hong Kong’s most popular horses was that connections had decided to avoid Romantic Warrior in the 2000-metre Cup.
Yiu clarified that even before running second to Romantic Warrior in the Group 2 Jockey Club Cup (2000m), the mile was the preferred option, and with more to come.
“Although he is seven, I don’t think he is feeling his age,” Yiu said.
“He is still full of beans.”
This was the second time that Purton had partnered the gelding since June 2024.
