Hong Kong racing storylines to watch for in 2026

The Standard racing editor Michael Cox identifies the key storylines of Hong Kong racing in 2026. 

1. Stars collide in a trilogy of marquee match-ups

Ask Voyage Bubble’s trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai about the looming clash with Romantic Warrior in the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600 meters) on January 25 and he sounds more like a fan than a key player in the match-up.

“It’s going to be a fascinating race – and great to watch – with two champion horses and two outstanding jockeys riding them,” he said.

Voyage Bubble, who will be ridden by Zac Purton, became Hong Kong’s second Triple Crown winner and first in 31 years when he won the Stewards’ Cup, the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) under James McDonald.

To complete the feat this season, Voyage Bubble will need to beat Romantic Warrior and McDonald after trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing elected to stay at home.

Voyage Bubble has the advantage at a mile, but as the Triple Crown progresses the increase in distance could favor Romantic Warrior.

Then again, Romantic Warrior was defeated at his only start over 2400m, while Voyage Bubble won his only start at the trip.

“Every race will be very tactical,” Yiu said. “Both horses have different strengths and the right riders to put theminto the best position to run their best race.”

2. Conghua racing

In October the focus of world racing will fall on the sport’s bold new frontier: organized racing in mainland China.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has confirmed that the first official race meeting at Conghua Racecourse will take place on October 31, 2026, marking what chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has described as “the launch of world-class racing in mainland China.” The inaugural card is expected to feature five or six races and will likely be staged initially for officials and invited guests, before a broader public launch later in the year.

While the moment will be symbolic, its significance runs deeper than a single meeting. Conghua has quietly become a crucial pillar of Hong Kong racing over recent seasons, with more than a third of runners last year utilizing the mainland training base, including elite performers such as Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble. The transition from training center to racecourse represents a structural shift for the sport in Asia.

The delayed launch has also allowed the Club to align its plans with China’s forthcoming National Equine Industry Development Plan, due in 2026, which is expected to shape policy and investment across the sector. With land already secured for an equine transfer and quarantine center near Conghua, the foundations are being laid not just for racing, but for a broader industry footprint.

For Hong Kong racing, and for the sport globally, 2026 is the year Conghua becomes more than a curiosity.

3. The kings’ reigns continue

This could hold true for both the sprint king Ka Ying Rising and his jockey, the self-proclaimed king of Hong Kong racing, Zac Purton.

For Ka Ying Rising, trainer David Hayes said his sprinter’s program is a simple “copy and paste” from 2025 as he seeks to preserve the horse’s longevity and legacy.

If Ka Ying Rising sticks to the same set of races as last season and keeps winning he will equal Hong Kong racing’s all-time consecutive wins record of 17 – set by Silent Witness in April 2005 – next start in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup on January 25.

The G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup on February 22 would then give Ka Ying Rising the chance to break the record.

“You can’t replace a horse like this,” Hayes told The Standard in November. “I’ve had 107 Group 1 winners but I haven’t had one like him. He’s in real rarefied air.

“If we can keep him sound, healthy of mind and leg, he’ll be one of the all-time greats.”

For Purton, it has been business as usual so far in 2025/26 and his only rival is the record books. The Australian is already the all-time leader in wins but should pass 2,000 career victories this season on his way to a fifth straight championship and ninth overall.

Purton, now 42, was talking about retirement less than three years ago, but with Ka Ying Rising’s reign extending into another shot at The Everest and beyond, he won’t be hanging up the saddle anytime soon.

4. Trainers’ title tussle 

We are not even halfway through the season, but the battle for the trainers’ championship is already shaping as one to remember.

Mark Newnham, chasing his first title, jumped to an early lead, but Caspar Fownes has his tail up and is bullish about his chances of a fifth championship.

John Size is ninth right now but making his customary mid-season charge and can never be ruled out. Size has won 13 titles in the 24 seasons he has trained. In his 25th season, he may be off the pace for now, but he could probably still command favoritism.

5. Magic time?

Hong Kong racing fans were left deflated after Jockey Club officials scotched Caspar Fownes’ plans to bring Joao Moreira back to Hong Kong as his stable rider during the lead-up to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.

The enthusiastic crowd reaction at Happy Valley to Moreira’s cameo on International Jockeys’ Championship night – when the Brazilian won the first two races – would not have gone unnoticed by officials.

It is expected that Moreira will return as a Club jockey for a stint later in the season, acting as a much-needed circuit breaker to Purton’s dominance.