Alexis Badel hopes an off-season riding stint in Japan has him well-placed to hit the ground running when the 2025/26 Hong Kong racing season begins this Sunday (7 September) at Sha Tin, where the Frenchman will reunite with trusted partner Beauty Waves for trainer Tony Cruz, aiming to spoil expected favourite Ka Ying Rising’s party in the HK$3.72 million Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m).  

Badel, 35, is the winner of 274 races in Hong Kong. A permanent fixture riding in the city on a full-time basis since the 2020/21 season, he is famed for his partnership with Group 1 sprint star Wellington as well as a surprise 45/1 victory on Voyage Bubble in the 2023 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).

“It was a great confidence booster. I had fun and it was great. I would say a quarter of it was holidays and the rest was riding,” Badel said. “It was good, very refreshing and I had great support. It was a good experience in Japan.” 

The supremely talented jockey – acclaimed as French Champion Apprentice in 2007 – posted 12 wins, six seconds and six thirds from 69 rides across a rewarding spell in Japan. Breeding giant Northern Farm sponsored his licence to ride over there, where his biggest win was aboard Mario Road in the Listed Meitetsu Hai (1800m, dirt) at Chukyo.

“The rules remain the same. The pressure gets into you in a different way in Japan. You don’t depend on the draw, like at Happy Valley, it’s a different kind of pressure and demand,” Badel said.

Badel’s book of rides this Sunday is headlined by Beauty Waves in the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup. The horse set a new Happy Valley track record (1200m in 1m 08.10s) last start on 16 July.

Beauty Waves was runner-up to Ka Ying Rising in this race last year before landing the 2024 HK$4.2 million G3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) under Badel. The Irish-bred Beauty Waves made all in a recent barrier trial last month, clocking a smooth 1m 09.89s over 1200m on the Sha Tin dirt.

Badel said: “He seems to be in good form. The horse looks good and he’s going to carry a light weight. We’ll take our shot, even against Ka Ying Rising.”

Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2024/25) Ka Ying Rising seeks a 13th straight win this Sunday, where he’ll try to carry 135lb to success again by becoming the race’s first ever two-time winner. David Hayes’ freakish talent was undefeated across eight outings last campaign, headlined by a sweep of Hong Kong’s Group 1 sprints.

Lucky Sweynesse, Lucky With You, Victor The Winner, Copartner Prance, Raging Blizzard, Magic Control, Bottomuptogether, Divano, Gorgeous Win and Harmony N Blessed are also entered in the Class 1 dash.

Both trainer Mark Newnham and jockey Luke Ferraris returned beaming after My Wish won his trial this morning (Tuesday, 2 September) at Sha Tin. My Wish is preparing to return on 28 September in the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) – the season’s first Group race.

Stepping from the barriers smartly, five-year-old My Wish stayed prominent throughout in 1m 10.24s over 1200m on the dirt. Crowned Hong Kong’s Most Improved Horse (2024/25), My Wish rates a career-high 105 following a quartet of wins last season, including the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m).

Newnham and Ferraris are impressed by the galloper’s development between seasons. My Wish closed out last term by finishing fourth, beaten one length, by Red Lion in the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) last April.

Newnham, the winner of 44 races last season, said: “I think since the break he’s strengthened up a bit. What we’ve seen on the track was reflected in the trial. He looks like he’s made good improvement between seasons. He’s a bit more mature and he’s a little bit stronger as a horse, so he knows his job well. He’ll run on the 28th (of September) in the Group 3 over 1400 metres. He’ll have another trial before then.”

Ferraris collected a superb 47 wins last campaign – his best haul to date in Hong Kong.

The 23-year-old rider, said: “Really happy. He feels good and he’s strengthened up over the off-season. The freshen up has done him good, he’s done everything right in his trial – he began really well, his manners in the barriers seemed to have improved, so that’s a positive. He finished it off nicely, I thought that was a very positive first trial from him and he’ll definitely build on it.”

Sunday’s (7 September) 2025/26 Season Opener is the first of 88 race meetings scheduled this season.