There is a perceptible sense of anticipation and excitement at Sha Tin yesterday (Sunday, 27 September) with the return of the stars of last season’s Hong Kong’s Classic generation in a clash with elite older opposition.
The presence in the G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) of LITTLE PARADISE (Hong Kong Classic Mile, 1600m winner), STORMY GROVE (Hong Kong Classic Cup, 1800m winner) and INVINCIBLE IBIS (Hong Kong Derby, 2000m winner) shapes as an early season highlight as the trio takes on Group 1-placed HELIOS EXPRESS and GALAXY PATCH, among others.
With searching tests of speed, endurance and versatility, the Four-Year-Old Classic Series has consistently unearthed incredible champions. In recent seasons alone, it has produced GOLDEN SIXTY, ROMANTIC WARRIOR, VOYAGE BUBBLE and CALIFORNIA SPANGLE, setting a standard which underpins Hong Kong’s world-class reputation on the international stage.
As we approach the 2027 Four-Year-Old Classic Series, starting with the Hong Kong Classic Mile on 31 January, the focus this weekend will be the performance of 2026 graduates LITTLE PARADISE, STORMY GROVE and INVINCIBLE IBIS, who have shown tremendous talent to date as they attempt to follow in the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors.
Before we enjoy the Celebration Cup, our attention turns to Nakayama Racecourse in Japan for the running of the G1 Sprinters Stakes, which is carded as S2-1 and is run over 1200m at 2.40pm.
The three most recent winners of this race – MAMA COCHA (2023), LUGAL (2024) and WIN CARNELIAN (2025) – return and face a string of upcoming talents including PANJA TOWER, FLICKER JAB and STAR ANISE.
FLICKER JAB (Atsuya Nishimura) has won six of his past seven starts and, despite drawing poorly in gate 15, will be finishing strongly and is a win and place chance.
PANJA TOWER (Kohei Matsuyama) is already a Group 1 winner and ran fourth to the now retired SATONO REVE in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) at Chukyo in March and ran on strongly when second in the G3 Keeneland Cup (1200m) at Sapporo last start. He is also a win and place chance.
STAR ANISE is a three-year-old filly by DREFONG and won the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, 1600m). She won over 1200m as a two-year-old and has drawn gate nine for Christophe Lemaire and is also a strong winning contender.
WIN CARNELIAN (Kosei Miura), who contests this race for the fourth time, is a place chance along with LUGAL (Katsuma Sameshima), MAMA COCHA (Yutaka Take) and WORLD’S END (Akihide Tsumura).
At Sha Tin, the G3 Celebration Cup Handicap is carded as race 8 and will be run over 1400m at 4.35pm with prizemoney of HK$4.2 million.
The pace is expected to be good. COPARTNER PRANCE should lead for Keith Yeung from LUCKY WITH YOU (Matthew Poon) and SOLEIL FIGHTER (Harry Bentley). PATCH OF THETA (Vincent Ho) and LITTLE PARADISE (Zac Purton) should settle midfield.
LITTLE PARADISE won five races last season, including a brilliant performance in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, beating INFINITE RESOLVE and BEAUTY BOLT. His next three runs were below that level, but he finished the season on a winning note under Zac Purton taking the G3 Premier Cup Handicap over this course and distance on 21 June, beating GALAXY PATCH and LUCKY WITH YOU. LITTLE PARADISE’s trackwork has been excellent, his body weight indicates he is in good condition and, with Zac taking the ride again, he is a win and place chance.
INVINCIBLE IBIS also won five races last season, claiming the Hong Kong Derby, beating NUMBERS and STORMY GROVE. His subsequent effort to finish fourth to MY WISH in the G1 FWD Champions Mile was also full of merit. He has had a long break at Conghua, which he enjoyed, and while he has been going well in trackwork, he is not yet fully fit and he will improve from the run. He is a place chance for Luke Ferraris.
HELIOS EXPRESS has raced only twice over 1400m in the last two seasons. On each occasion, he finished second to the world’s best horse KA YING RISING in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup in 2025 and 2026. HELIOS EXPRESS has had two recent trials and, with Andrea Atzeni taking the ride for the first time, is a place chance.
GALAXY PATCH had his first run for trainer Brett Crawford when second to LITTLE PARADISE in the Premier Cup when he stormed home from the back of the field to be beaten by a neck. GALAXY PATCH made good ground in the straight at a Happy Valley trial last week and looks in good form going into this race. He will be running home strongly at the end of the race and is a place chance for Karis Teetan.
COPARTNER PRANCE won the G3 Premier Cup over this trip in 2025 and was runner-up at long odds in this race last year when he beat all but MY WISH. He resumed this season with an excellent second to KA YING RISING over 1200m on 6 September, holding second position throughout the race. COPARTNER PRANCE likes the 1400m trip and is a place chance if he can dictate the pace from the front.
This is a very competitive race with PATCH OF THETA, LUCKY WITH YOU and SOLEIL FIGHTER all capable of being placed. STORMY GROVE (Jerry Chau) may need further ground to show his best.
Completing a fabulous day of world-class racing is the G1 Preis von Europa, which is carded as S3-1 and will be run over 2400m at 10.07pm at Cologne Racecourse in Germany.
Two horses familiar to Hong Kong audiences – GOLIATH and DUBAI HONOUR – dominate discussion for this feature.
With the track currently rated as yielding, the conditions are expected to suit GOLIATH, who will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon. He is my win and place selection.
DUBAI HONOUR, who is partnered by Tom Marquand, is also a win and place selection and will be suited by a rain-affected track.
The best of the local brigade appears to be STRAIGHT (Luke Morris), who was narrowly beaten in this race two years ago by REBEL’S ROMANCE, SEGURO (Benjamin Marie) and HOCHKONIG (Leon Wolff), who won the G1 Deutsches Derby (2400m) in 2025.
Sources: HKJC