Despite facing a monumental task against Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble, Derek Leung Ka-chun feels the time is right to test Lucky Sweynesse at a mile in Sunday’s Group One Stewards’ Cup at Sha Tin.
With Hong Kong’s feature sprints dominated by the all-conquering Ka Ying Rising, Lucky Sweynesse’s connections opted for a different path in a bid to add to his outstanding record of 16 wins from 30 starts.
However, the Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained gelding’s distance test won’t be any easier when he takes on 11-time Group One victor Romantic Warrior and the city’s best miler, Voyage Bubble.
A three-time winner over 1,400m, Lucky Sweynesse steps up in trip after running fourth behind Ka Ying Rising in November’s Group Two Jockey Club Sprint (1,200m) and last month’s Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m).
“The owners wanted to try him at a mile to see if he can run it. He’s an honest horse and I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes,” Leung said.
“It’s a very strong field, but we’ll be trying our best. I think it’s a good time to try. He’s fit and well and more relaxed, so why not?”
Leung believes 1,400m is now Lucky Sweynesse’s best distance, but there are a lack of options at that elite level outside next month’s Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, which he won in 2023.
Adding to Lucky Sweynesse’s tough challenge is a wide draw in barrier eight in the field of nine.
He will jump alongside Danny Shum Chap-shing’s champion Romantic Warrior, who has gate seven, while Voyage Bubble drew barrier six in his bid for a third consecutive Stewards’ Cup success.
“Of course, Voyage Bubble is a very strong competitor over the mile, but Romantic Warrior will run well,” Shum told the Jockey Club.
“Whatever he does is a bonus already. I just want him to try his best, but most importantly – he is happy, healthy and comfortable. He is very well after December [when he won the Hong Kong Cup] and everything is under control.”
Beyond Sunday’s dual Group One meeting, Leung is excited about his chances in the Classic Series when he rides Circuit Grand Slam in the Classic Mile and Numbers in the Classic Cup (1,800m) and Hong Kong Derby (2,000m).
Circuit Grand Slam heads to the first leg of the four-year-old series on February 1 after one win from four local starts for Man.
The Irish import, who won at the Curragh when racing as Tunbridge Wells for Aidan O’Brien, stormed home from last to score a stunning triumph on his local debut in November.
He has managed only one placing in his following three runs, but he has had excuses in those defeats.
“He won well from behind and in his last two starts, he had better draws and was a bit closer but couldn’t finish as strongly. So maybe we will just tuck in behind and see what happens,” Leung said.
Numbers stamped his Derby claims with a strong all-the-way victory on his second local start in the Class Two Long Ke Handicap (2,000m) at Sha Tin last month.
Now trained by Frankie Lor Fu-chuen, he won twice in Australia and ran second in the Group One Queensland Derby (2,400m) when racing as King Of Thunder pre-import.
“He will run on February 8 [in the Group Three Centenary Vase (1,800m)] and then straight to the Classic Cup and the Derby. I’m looking forward to riding him again,” Leung said.
