Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Won by My Wish (Flying Artie) last year, the Listed Classic Mile is the first leg of Hong Kong’s 4-Year-Old Series. The series consists of three races, the Classic Mile, the Classic Cup over 1800 metres, and the Listed Hong Kong Derby over 2000 metres.
The 2025 series had three different winners across the three races with the Cup won by Rubylot (Rubick) and the Derby won by Cap Ferrat (Snitzel).
Series of champions
The 4-Year-Old Series unveils the next round of Champions for Hong Kong, a region renowned for producing horses with incredible longevity.
Four-time G1 Hong Kong Cup winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) who chalked up his 12th Group 1 victory last weekend won the Classic Mile in 2022. He won the Classic Mile and the Hong Kong Derby, but was fourth in the Classic Cup.
And 2020 victor Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), who won 26 of his 31 starts, remains the most popular plushie in the Hong Kong Jockey Club merchandise shop, even though he’s been retired since 2024. One of only two horses have won all three legs of the 4-Year-Old series, Golden Sixty was Hong Kong’s highest earner until overtaken by Romantic Warrior.
Golden Sixty | Image courtesy of The hong Kong Jockey Club
The other horse to win all three legs is the ill-fated Rapper Dragon (Street Boss {USA}) winner of nine races, who won the G2 Chairman’s Trophy the start after winning the Derby, but sadly fractured his pelvis during the G1 Champions Mile at his next start.
Last year’s winner My Wish, who ran second in the other two legs of the series, has gone on to add two group wins this season. The 2024 winner Helios Express (Toronado {Ire}), who also won the Classic Cup, has run into Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) eleven times since then, for ten placings behind the Horse Of The Year who has won 17 in succession to equal the record of Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}). Snitzel’s Sun Jewellery is another who won the first two legs, while Snitzel also has a Derby winner with last year’s victor Cap Ferrat.
My Wish | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
In 2023, the year between Helios Express and Romantic Warrior, the Classic Mile and the Derby were won by Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) who become only the second horse in Hong Kong history to win their older horse triple crown last season with the G1 Stewards’ Cup, G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, and G1 Champion and Chaters Cup.
With such a stellar record of producing horses with talent and longevity, the Listed Classic Mile on Sunday at Sha Tin is a race that everyone who endeavours to sell a horse into Hong Kong should be paying attention to. It’s the beginning of the trio of races that define the emerging talent in the region.
Voyage Bubble | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Purton and Hayes go head-to-head
A field of 14 has been assembled, and all eyes will be on the highest rated runner Sagacious Life (Brz) (Put It Back {USA}). The former Brazilian Group 1 winner has been selected by Zac Purton as his best chance. Purton, who is streets ahead on the Jockey’s Premiership, had a choice between at least four of the runners. Purton, who rides Ka Ying Rising for David Hayes, will go up against him with the Pierre Ng-trained Sagacious Life who he won on last start.
Sagacious Life (Brz) | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
David Hayes-trained pair of Akashvani (Alpine Eagle) and Public Attention (Written Tycoon) will get much support from Australian punters. Public Attention won last season’s G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes and has had three starts in Hong Kong this season, running second, third and fourth.
“I think he’s been crying out for blinkers. I think he’s primed to run well in what is a really, really competitive race – probably the best this season. He has very good form in Australia. It’ll be first-time blinkers. We’ve resisted putting them on, but we’ve saved it for this race. He raced in them in Australia,” Hayes told hkjc.com of the Karen Lo-owned Public Attention. Lo also owns last year’s Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat.
Akashvani | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Akashvani comes into the race off a last start three-length win. “That win got him in the race. He’s bred to get a mile, and he’s in form. We’re looking forward to it. Things weren’t going right. He was probably running short of his distance, and I think that triggered me that he’s probably a 1400 metre-miler. He’s a very good young horse, and he’s likely going to be the on-pace influence of the race.”
Newnham’s quartet led by impressive Invincible Ibis
Mark Newnham is leading the Hong Kong Trainer’s Premiership this season and has a quartet of runners on Sunday in the Classic Mile. He won the race last year with My Wish.
Invincible Ibis (Hellbent) will be ridden by Hugh Bowman, Crimson Flash (Showtime) gets the services of Andrea Atzeni, Winfield (Brz) (Rally Cry {USA}) will be ridden by Lyle Hewitson, and Alexis Badel rides Infinite Resolve (Snitzel).
“He’s putting up quite a good record now and the nice part about the race was when it got a bit tough and he had to stretch the last part to beat Beauty Bolt, he did. So, he’s got good ability, but he’s got good heart,” Newnham said after Invincible Ibis’ last start victory on January 11. He’s won four in succession leading into the Classic Mile.
“You can only keep winning and he’s put four together now, so he goes there (Hong Kong Classic Mile) in good form.”
Invincible Ibis | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Crimson Flash, who raced as He’s In Like Flynn in Australia, was a winner four starts ago in November and comes into the race off a last start seventh and a trial. Of note, Crimson Flash’s sire Showtime is the only stallion with two potential runners in the field with the first emergency Me Tsui-trained Pope Cody also by Showtime.
Winfield won two Group 1 races in Brazil in 2024, but has had just the one start since then, when ninth behind Sagacious Life in early January which was Winfield’s first outing in Hong Kong. Of the quartet, he would need to improve the most.
Infinite Resolve, second last start behind Little Paradise (Toronado {Ire}), was a winner the start prior and is in form heading into the Classic Mile.
Toronado could win two in three years
After Helios Express won this race in 2024, Jimmy Ting-trained Little Paradise could make it two from three for his sire in the race. He is in good form, having won his last two runs in succession. “I hope he can run well. I’ve already planned nearly a whole year for this race. This has been in our minds since he won his first race,” Ting said.
“We started preparing him back then to target the 4-Year-Old Classic Series.”
Little Paradise | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The only query is that it will be Little Paradise’s first attempt at the mile. “I think he is still improving. I hope he can keep going. Before his last race, I thought he could win, but I didn’t think he could win so easily. It exceeded my expectations. I think he can handle the mile, but I’m not sure how he will go further than it.”
The ultimate comeback story
Super Seth gelding Patch Of Cosmo (NZ) has already showcased trainer Manfred Man’s ability to rehabilitate a horse after he returned to the winner’s circle in mid-January after a ten-month hiatus.
Patch Of Cosmo sustained a left-fore tendon injury in March 2025 just after he’d won his fourth race in Hong Kong. He made it five wins when he returned this year, and goes into the Listed Classic Mile as a last start winner.
“I like this horse. He’s a lovely character and he’s got a lovely big stride on him. He’s always given me a good feel, and I was never certain where his ceiling was,” jockey Matthew Chadwick said.
Patch Of Cosmo | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“It was unfortunate he had that setback last season. I liked the way he was going about his work and his races. You’d like to think he’s got improvement for the run and having a win under his belt. The way it looked, it was a nice race to come back into – the way it was run, and he got a nice run through carrying top weight.
“They’re all positives coming back and I’m sure Manfred has him well. It seems he pulled up nicely and he’s ticking all of the boxes. It’s shaping up to be a very open, competitive field, so it’s going to be very interesting. But I don’t think he’ll be out of place. Last season, I was very happy with him.”
Patch Of Cosmo is one of five last start winners in the field. Only Sagacious Life, who has six career wins, has more victories, while Little Paradise is equal with Patch Of Cosmo on five career wins.
“It’s shaping up to be a good mile. Hopefully they go a nice even tempo that gives everyone a chance and then the best horse will win,” Chadwick said.
“It’s shaping up to be a good mile. Hopefully they go a nice even tempo that gives everyone a chance and then the best horse will win.” - Matthew Chadwick
“It’s a very good year and the Club will be very happy. It looks like a lot of them haven’t hit their peak and it looks like there will be five or six who will be rated over 100 eventually. It’s an exciting race and hopefully it will be a good finish. This is exciting for Hong Kong racing. I’m excited and I rarely say that. It’s a race that you want to watch.”
