23 individual Group 1 winners headline entries for FWD Champions Day on Sunday, 26 April at Sha Tin – all seeking the opportunity to race for the record HK$78 million in prizemoney across three of world racing’s premier contests in Hong Kong.

Representing connections from around the globe, 101 horses will be considered for spots in the HK$30 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m), HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) – with each race limited to 14 runners.

Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior, Voyage Bubble, Red Lion, Helios Express, Galaxy Patch, Fast Network, Lucky Sweynesse and My Wish spearhead the home side – with the world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising having a chance to seek a 20th consecutive victory at the fixture, should he first win 6 April’s HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m).

Record-breaking Ka Ying Rising chases a ninth Group 1 win in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize. Acclaimed as the top-rated horse ahead of Romantic Warrior in the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, Ka Ying Rising is the current 1200m course record-holder (1m 07.20s) at Sha Tin.

The international contingent totals 63 and is headed by elite talents Calandagan, Masquerade Ball, Museum Mile, Royal Champion, Sosie, Danon Decile, Sir Delius, Jantar Mantar, Tropicus, Beiwacht, Lady Of Camelot and Shin Emperor.

Hong Kong International Sale graduate Romantic Warrior has already achieved what no other horse has done by winning three FWD QEII Cups. Hong Kong racing’s only 13-time Group 1 winner returns this year seeking an unprecedented fourth FWD QEII Cups to add to his glittering CV after wins in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Triple Crown (2024/25) hero Voyage Bubble – a six-time Group 1 winner at Sha Tin – is aiming to go one better than his second in last year’s FWD Champions Mile to Red Lion, who also returns in a bid to defend his crown.

The home side’s entry features five individual Group 1 winners. In addition, Helios Express, second to Ka Ying Rising in five Group 1 races, returns along with four-time Group 1 winner Lucky Sweynesse, who this year steps up in distance to contest the FWD Champions Mile following his brilliant second to Romantic Warrior in the HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) in January.

Galaxy Patch and My Wish also feature in the FWD Champions Mile, while Fast Network tackles Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.

Romantic Warrior could face some of his toughest opposition to date in the FWD QEII Cup, headlined by 2025 G1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) winner Masquerade Ball, who was second to Calandagan in the 2025 G1 Japan Cup (2400m) last start, while third from the Japan Cup – Group 1 winner Danon Decile – is also entered.

Calandagan – 2025 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse – holds an entry for the FWD QEII Cup along with Sosie, who could return to Sha Tin for the first time since his win in the 2025 HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m). 

Museum Mile is one of world racing’s hottest talents, winning two Group 1 races from his initial 10 starts, including the G1 Arima Kinen (2500m) last December. He also won the 2025 G1 Satsuki Sho (2000m) emphatically ahead of Masquerade Ball.

Karl Burke’s Royal Champion is entered for the QEII Cup. The nine-time winner blitzed opposition in the 2026 G1 Neom Turf Cup (2100m) by over four lengths.

Veteran Deep Monster surged to one of his biggest career wins in the 2026 G2 H.H. The Amir Trophy (2400m). He is entered for the FWD QEII Cup along with Cosmo Kuranda and Shin Emperor, as well as Sir Delius, Survie and Fort George. 

Group 1 winner Urban Chic also holds an FWD QEII Cup entry, while Dubai Honour could return for a sixth time in search of a first Sha Tin win, having placed twice at the track. 

Four-time Group 1-winning miler Jantar Mantar will bid to end Hong Kong’s domination of the FWD Champions Mile, which has been won by a locally trained galloper since 2017. Red Lion, Voyage Bubble, Galaxy Patch and My Wish will aim to fend off raiders topped by Jantar Mantar, who will race at Sha Tin for the second time.

Second to Jantar Mantar in the 2025 G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) and 2025 G1 Mile Championship (1600m), Gaia Force will also make his way to Sha Tin for a second time after finishing ninth in the FWD Champions Mile last year.

Well-travelled Strauss, who has raced in three jurisdictions, is expected to head to Sha Tin off the back of a superb win in the inaugural Listed Abu Dhabi Gold Cup (1600m) in early February.

Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Docklands could also join them for the FWD Champions Mile, aiming to return after finishing fourth in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) last year, and he could be joined by Linebacker – winner of the 2025 G1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) and 2025 Silver Eagle (1300m).

First and second, respectively, in the 2026 G1 The All-Star Mile (1600m), Tom Kitten and Evaporate, could both venture to Sha Tin for the FWD Champions Mile. Godolphin’s Tom Kitten has eight wins from 31 starts – including three at Group 1 level – while Evaporate could make his journey following upcoming runs in the G1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and G1 Doncaster Mile Handicap (1600m). 

Ka Ying Rising could face familiar foe Satono Reve, who may return to Sha Tin for a fourth time, having already placed behind David Hayes’ sprinting sensation in two Group 1 races. Lugal, winner of the 2024 G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m), could join him along with Group 1 winners Tropicus, Beiwacht and Lady Of Camelot.

Young gun Angel Capital has five wins from 13 starts. The promising galloper has placed in two Group 1 races, including a third to Caballus in the 2026 G1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) this month. June Blair, Pair Pollux, Comanche Brave and Colour Up also feature among the Chairman’s Sprint Prize entries.

Eight horses selected to run in the HK$26 million 149th BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon (22 March) – Little Paradise, Invincible Ibis, Dazzling Fit, Emblazon, Seraph Gabriel, Stormy Grove, Top Dragon and Numbers – hold entries for FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin.

Mr Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “We are thrilled with the outstanding quality of entries from around the world for FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin – including 23 individual Group 1 winners coming up against our champions Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior.

“Ka Ying Rising is a phenomenal world-class talent. He is the globe’s leading sprinter, and seemingly every time he steps out, he delivers incredible performances. If he manages to win the Sprint Cup on 6 April, then he will chase even more history on FWD Champions Day by aiming to become the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win 20 consecutive races.

“Our global champion Romantic Warrior continues to excel on the world stage – he is now our only 13-time Group 1 winner, and he will seek a record-extending fourth win in the FWD QEII Cup, but he will do so potentially against high-class opposition – including Group 1 winners Masquerade Ball, Museum Mile, Royal Champion while Calandagan also has the option to race. Overall, we are immensely excited ahead of another wonderful staging of our spring flagship meeting, and we look forward to an outstanding day of elite international racing.

FWD Champions Day – Entries