Voyage Bubble Sweeps Home To Take Triple Crown

Yiu-trained six-year-old rewrites history with G1 Champions & Chater Cup triumph

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HONG KONG - Voyage Bubble rewrote Hong Kong's racing history with a stunning triumph in the HK$13 million (S$2.13 million) Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin on May 25, making light of stamina concerns with a record-equalling performance to draw the highest praise from James McDonald and Ricky Yiu.

Given a perfect ride by McDonald, Voyage Bubble ($9) streaked to a 3½-length win over Rubylot (Hugh Bowman) and Cap Ferrat (Craig Williams) in 2min 26.67sec.

The Yiu-trained six-year-old became only the second horse in Hong Kong's racing history, after River Verdon in 1993/94, to complete the Triple Crown by winning the Group 1 Stewards' Cup (1,600m), the Group 1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2,000m) and the Champions & Chater Cup in the same season.

Demolishing nine rivals, Voyage Bubble claimed a fifth Group 1 win as the 2023 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) winner secured a HK$10 million Triple Crown bonus and the winner's purse of HK$7.28 million, to take his career earnings to HK$107.4 million for the Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate.

McDonald, the reigning Longines World's Best Jockey, revealed he thought the race - Hong Kong's 12th and final Group 1 of the season - was in his keeping at the 600m after Zac Purton's mid-race move on Ensued to join Moments in Time (Harry Bentley) and Dubai Honour (Tom Marquand) at the head of the field.