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Voyage Bubble crowned ‘King of the Mile’ in Hong Kong

8th Dec 2024

Inglis Classic graduate Voyage Bubble has delivered a scintillating performance to claim the G1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin, cementing his status as the ‘King of the Mile’ in Hong Kong.

Second in last year’s contest, the big-striding son of Deep Field raced on speed in the 1600m event at Sha Tin, before pulling away for his eighth career win and his second at G1 level.

The victory takes his earnings to HK$70.5m (AUD$14.2m), with other career highlights including wins in the Hong Kong Derby and Hong Kong Classic Mile last year, as well as his breakthrough G1 win in the Stewards’ Cup in January.

It’s also the 6YO gelding’s fifth win at 1600m, a distance he has also placed at another four times.

Voyage Bubble was the Classic Sale-topper in 2020 when offered by Brett Cornish’s Torryburn Stud and bought by trainer Ricky Yiu for $380,000.

“He’s always been an extremely tough animal, right from the moment he was born and when we prepped him for the Classic Yearling Sale,” Brett Cornish said.

“He just has that X-factor, he’s so tough with a big heart.

“Ricky (Yiu) has done a remarkable job with this horse, it was great to see him bounce back after those trips to Dubai and Japan where the stable don’t think the anti-clockwise tracks suited him,” Brett Cornish said.

“It was also great to see James McDonald reunited with him, James loves Voyage Bubble and Voyage Bubble loves James.”

“He’s a great horse in his own right,” jockey James McDonald said post race.

“He just gives his all, very big heart, he’s very uncomplicated and puts himself in the race, it’s great for Hong Kong… credit to Ricky Yiu and his team they’ve prepped him up beautifully,” McDonald said.

Voyage Bubble’s dam Raheights (Rahy) recently produced her final foal at age 22 – a filly by Home Affairs – after spending four years in retirement as a nanny to Torryburn Stud weanlings.

“The mare is incredible,” Brett Cornish said.

“We were actually inspecting weanlings last year with Inglis’ Chris Russell, and Raheights zoomed down the paddock with the weanlings and almost bowled us over and she just looked incredibly healthy.

“When all the vet checks came back with big ticks we decided to have another go, she was covered by Home Affairs, a stallion Torryburn bred and sold at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale so it’s gone full circle.

“The filly is absolutely gorgeous, she just runs and runs around the paddock and Raheights looks half her age, she will enjoy a second retirement.”

Torryburn Stud will offer 11 yearlings at the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

To view the catalogue, CLICK HERE.

Voyage Bubble is one of 102 individual G1-winning Inglis graduates since 2018 and his G1 Hong Kong International Mile win crowns a stellar year for Inglis in Hong Kong.

He is one of four Inglis graduates to win at the highest level in Hong Kong this year, joining Beauty Eternal, Victor The Winner and Invincible Sage.

Just for good measure, tonight’s G1 Hong Kong International Sprint runner-up, Helios Express, another Inglis graduate, won both the Hong Kong Classic Mile and the Hong Kong Classic Cup earlier in the year.

Voyage Bubble was one of six Inglis graduates to win on Hong Kong’s biggest day, alongside Happy Park (Duporth), Divano (Brave Smash), Californiatotality (Zoustar), Markwin (I Am Invincible) and Packing Hermod (Rubick).