Trainer Francis Lui hopes Cap Ferrat can take another step forward when he faces a fiercely competitive HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin.

One of three Group 1 races on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 26 April), the FWD Champions Mile is set to feature five top-level winners – Voyage Bubble, Lucky Sweynesse, Red Lion, Jantar Mantar and Docklands – plus a pair of talented four-year-olds in Invincible Ibis and Little Paradise, as well as the Group 1-placed Galaxy Patch.

Snitzel gelding Cap Ferrat, winner of the 2025 HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and third in the 2025 HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m), finished a solid seventh first-up in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) on 6 April at Sha Tin after overcoming setbacks.

Cap Ferrat was eased out of the 2025 G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) last November as race favourite – his most recent run prior to the Chairman’s Trophy, which came following four barrier trials and a short spell at Conghua.

Lui said: “He’s back to his form, but I think he still needs to put on more condition because he’s only had one run after he bled. He finished off well last time – I was happy.

“Maybe later he can race over 2000 metres. At the moment, how can you beat Romantic Warrior? Especially when Cap Ferrat is having only his second run back. Hopefully, we can pick up stakes money.”

Lui is also represented by Group 3 winners Chancheng Glory and Copartner Prance in the FWD Champions Mile, who have been selected to run on an afternoon featuring Ka Ying Rising in the HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) and Romantic Warrior in the HK$30 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m). 

Only two internationals – Variety Club (2014) and Maurice (2016) – have won the Champions Mile since 2000. Jantar Mantar, Docklands and Strauss are trying to buck the trend for overseas competitors and join an illustrious honour roll featuring Able Friend (2015), Beauty Generation (2018 & 2019) and Golden Sixty (2021-2023) in recent years.

Lui is one of six trainers to surpass 1,000 Hong Kong wins after John Moore (1,735), John Size (1,647), Tony Cruz (1,602), Caspar Fownes (1,213) and Ricky Yiu (1,095).

Renowned for Golden Sixty’s record-breaking exploits, Lui was also crowned Hong Kong Champion Trainer in 2023/24. His stable currently houses one of Sha Tin’s most exciting young talents – the undefeated Hot Delight – who he expects to race again in May. 

Lui saddles Dragon Sunrise, Win Ease, Do Your Part, Next Fortune, Rainbow Seven and Fivefortwo at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (15 April), which commences with the first of nine races at 6.35pm with the Class 5 Celebrating 50 Years Of The HK Sevens 1000m Handicap.