My Wish and Galaxy Patch are among a group of accomplished rivals for the HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) who are taking encouraging preparations into Sunday’s (25 January) contest, and their riders are confident of running a big race.

While few would deny that the remainder of the field outside reigning Stewards’ Cup champion Voyage Bubble and 11-time Group 1-winner Romantic Warrior will require a career-best performance to overhaul those two in this season’s renewal, their form suggests the gap may not be insurmountable.

Lucky Sweynesse is a four-time Group 1-winner, and while his last win at that grade was in the winter of 2023, the seven-year-old is in resurgent form this term after a comeback season spent recovering from a serious injury that saw him sidelined for 12 months.

His two fourth-place runs this season in the G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) and later the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) saw him significantly outperform his odds. His step up to the mile for the first time adds an element of intrigue to Sunday’s race.

John Size recently said Red Lion’s third in December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) “was near his best” and that the seven-year-old was “fit and well” following a pair of impressive recent barrier trial efforts.

The son of Belardo is a Group 1-winner himself, having narrowly headed off Voyage Bubble in a pulsating finish to last season’s G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m).

Drawn in barrier four, Galaxy Patch has already won a mile contest at Group 2 level this season, claiming the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) under James McDonald in November, and Maxime Guyon will ride Pierre Ng’s mercurial six-year-old for the first time.

The pedigree of Mark Newnham’s My Wish has never been in dispute, and only a sixth-place finish on his second run with Group 1 company in December’s LONGINES Hong Kong Mile has checked what had appeared to be an inevitable march to the top of Hong Kong’s elite miler ranks.

While his handler had excuses for that showing, My Wish’s owners determined a change was needed and installed Alexis Badel as the five-year-old’s new rider.

The Frenchman believes the Flying Artie gelding, drawn in gate two, has progressed since the last time he deputised – in October’s G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) – and that he could bounce back to form on Sunday.

“It’s a horse that we know is very talented, and is certainly a better, bigger horse than it used to be,” Badel said. “I rode him one time, and it was a victory, so he left me with a very good feeling. I’m excited to ride him again. His preparation seems good. He looks in very good shape. I would say he’s got a pretty good gate on the day, and it’s interesting to see how he’s gonna go.”

There is little doubt My Wish belongs in such exalted company. Badel is confident his mount will have an opportunity to prove as much.

“It’s the highest level of racing in Hong Kong. It is very competitive,” he said. “But I think everything is going smoothly for the horse, so it’ll have its chance.”

While many, including Ricky Yiu, trainer of 2024/25 Triple Crown-winner Voyage Bubble, believe Sunday’s Stewards’ Cup to be a two-horse race, several of the chasing pack sense at least a hope that an upset could be in the cards.

Sunday’s (25 January) 11-race Sha Tin meeting starts with the Class 4 Peniaphobia Handicap (1000m) at 12.30pm.