Ronald Arculli’s connection to Hong Kong racing spans approximately six decades, and the former Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, alongside wife Johanna, can boost an already enviable ownership record when his defending champion returns at Sha Tin.

Red Lion is one of Arculli’s foremost gallopers, and the seven-year-old gelding is chasing a second consecutive HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) success on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 26 April).

Arculli, 87, served as Chairman from 2002-2006. He has raced more than 80 horses since the 1970s in Hong Kong as a sole owner, partner and in syndicates, with the 1993/94 Triple Crown winner River Verdon – the first Hong Kong-trained horse to compete overseas in 1992 – his standout champion, co-owned by Sir Oswald Cheung.

Arculli’s other big-race wins in his home city, including the 1991 Hong Kong Derby (1800m), have come via River Jordan, River Dancer, Go-Getter, Red Cadeaux – winner of the 2012 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) – and most recently Red Lion, who is bidding for a second Group 1 triumph when Andrea Atzeni hops up this weekend. 

Atzeni said: “His most recent trial and the trial before his last run were good, but he just didn’t run accordingly last start (14th in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy, 1600m). John (Size) put blinkers on him in his last trial (on 16 April). He trialled well with them and, hopefully, we get a lot of rain. It’s hard to know, and obviously, the track dries very quickly, too.

“Any rain is welcome – hopefully there’s a bit of juice in the ground, and given a smooth run around, he could run very well.”

The courageous Red Lion – trained by Australian Racing Hall of Famer Size – finished second in the 2024 FWD Champions Mile at odds of 29/1 before his 89/1 make-all victory over heavy favourite Voyage Bubble in 2025.

“I felt like in his trial when he had a bit of room and he’s rolling along, that’s when he’s happy. It seems like he responds a bit better when he’s to the outside,” Atzeni said. “I just feel like he doesn’t like to be on the fence with horses surrounding him and that he needs his own space. He’s quick out of the gates and the blinkers seem to work on him.”

Size is going for a sixth win in the race, having also prevailed with Electronic Unicorn (2003), Sight Winner (2009), Contentment (2017) and Beauty Eternal (2024). 

Red Lion is one of two defending champions reappearing this weekend along with Ka Ying Rising, who is aiming to win a second HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m). Fellow hometown hero Romantic Warrior is trying to land a record fourth HK$30 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) after triumphs in 2022, 2023 and 2024.