Jerry Chau Chun-lok has picked up the ride on Voyage Bubble in the Group Two Chairman’s Trophy (1,600m) as the Triple Crown hero bids to bounce back from an uncharacteristic flop last start.

In hot form with 13 winners since the start of February, Chau will replace champion jockey Zac Purton, who has ridden Voyage Bubble in his past four starts.

Chau, 25, is excited to ride the six-time Group One winner for the first time in the Chairman’s Trophy on April 6.

“Ricky told me last week. I will gallop him some time before the race and I’m looking forward to riding him,” Chau, who sits fourth in the jockeys’ championship with 29 winners, said.

“It’s a Group Two race and hopefully he can get his form back and win again.”

Mystery still surrounds Voyage Bubble’s distant fifth, beaten more than seven lengths behind champion galloper Romantic Warrior in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m) on March 1.

Purton told stewards the seven-year-old travelled well in running but failed to respond to his riding in the straight and was disappointing.

A post-race veterinary inspection revealed nothing amiss and Yiu has no explanation for the flop.

“It’s kind of a mystery,” the veteran trainer said.

“But he’s doing well at the moment. He’ll have a jump out on the grass or a soft trial before the race. This race is over a mile and we’ll see what happens.”

Voyage Bubble won his sixth Group One with a defiant performance under Purton in December’s Hong Kong Mile and had excuses when third in the Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) in his two starts before the Gold Cup.

The son of Deep Field became the second galloper to win Hong Kong’s Triple Crown, joining River Verdon (1993-94), when he won the Stewards’ Cup, Gold Cup and Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) last season.

Romantic Warrior is on track to join the duo as Triple Crown victors, having won the first two legs this year.

Despite dominating Hong Kong’s mile division in recent years, Voyage Bubble will line-up in the Chairman’s Trophy for the first time.

He will be joined by stablemate Sunlight Power as Yiu bids to go back-to-back in the feature after Straight Arron’s upset triumph last year.

Since stepping up to Group races 12 months ago, Sunlight Power has finished in the top four five times, including a close second in the Group Two Jockey Club Mile in November and a fourth in the Stewards’ Cup.

Yiu confirmed Vincent Ho Chak-yiu will again ride the six-time winner in the Chairman’s Trophy.

“He’s doing well in Conghua. He’s a particular horse that loves Conghua,” Yiu said.

“He’s very consistent at this level.”

The Chairman’s Trophy and Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) are the highlights of Sha Tin’s Easter Monday meeting, with the world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising set to chase a record-extending 19th consecutive victory in the latter.

Meanwhile, next year’s Hong Kong Derby will be run for a record HK$28 million – up from HK$26 million – after the Jockey Club announced a prizemoney boost for the Classic Series. Prizemoney for the Classic Mile and Classic Cup has been lifted from HK$13 million to HK$14 million.

“The enhancement in stakes to our four-year-old Classic Series further rewards owners who have made significant investments by purchasing young talents with a view to winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby,” Jockey Club executive director of racing Andrew Harding said.

“The drive of owners to win this race is key to the quality of the horses that are imported each year, underpinning our world-class racing.”