Hong Kong racing's two biggest stars are on a collision course for the sport's top honour after The Hong Kong Jockey Club unveiled the final nominees for the Champion Awards 2025/26 at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Unbeaten sprinting sensation Ka Ying Rising and globe-conquering superstar Romantic Warrior shape as the headline contenders for Horse of the Year, setting up a fascinating debate ahead of the presentation ceremony at Rosewood Hong Kong on 10 July.
The nominees were revealed during the Happy Valley race meeting by a high-profile line-up of officials. Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Executive Director, Racing, Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Sports Business, Casper Stylsvig, and Year of the Horse Ambassador Aaron Kwok Fu-shing officiated at the Nominees Announcement Ceremony, which kicked off a series of interactive on-course segments designed to build anticipation among racegoers.
Ka Ying Rising is assured of the Champion Sprinter title after a flawless, unbeaten campaign that has cemented his standing as the best speedster in the world. The four-year-old's perfect season makes him the standout in the 1400m-and-below division, where he stands as the sole nominee.
Romantic Warrior, meanwhile, looms as his great rival for the major prize, with the dual-purpose champion set to be named both Champion Middle-Distance Horse and Champion Stayer. His remarkable versatility – winning at the highest level across multiple distances to clinch a historic Triple Crown – gives the Judging Panel plenty to weigh when Horse of the Year is decided by vote from the category winners, excluding the Champion Griffin.
The Champion Miler category looms as the most hotly contested of the awards, with three high-class performers in the frame. Romantic Warrior is also nominated there along side My Wish and Voyage Bubble for Champion Miler (over-1400m-to-below-1800m), guaranteeing a tight tussle for one of the season's most prestigious titles.
The Champion Four-Year-Old award sees Invincible Ibis installed as the favourite courtesy of his 2026 BMW Hong Kong Derby triumph, the season's defining test for the Classic generation. He faces competition from Little Paradise, Numbers and Stormy Grove, but his Derby success makes him the one to beat.
In the Champion Griffin category – for unraced imports who debuted this season – Hot Delight shapes as the leading contender, with Baby Sakura, Salon S and Tycoon Resources completing the quartet of nominees.
A total of 12 nominees across six categories were elected by the six-member Judging Panel, comprising three representatives from the HKJC and three from the Association of Hong Kong Racing Journalists. The Club's votes are cast by Engelbrecht-Bresges, Harding and Head of Racing Product Greg Carpenter, while the journalists' association is represented by Chairman Carlos Wu, Vice-Chairman Cheung Kam Yau and Committee Member Toto Wong.
Winners will be announced at the Champion Awards 2025/26 presentation ceremony on Friday, 10 July, with results published on the Hong Kong Jockey Club website.
Hong Kong Champion Awards 2025/26 — Final Nominees
| Category | Nominees |
|---|---|
| Champion Sprinter (1400m or below) | Ka Ying Rising |
| Champion Miler (over 1400m to below 1800m) | My Wish, Romantic Warrior, Voyage Bubble |
| Champion Middle-Distance Horse (1800m to below 2200m) | Romantic Warrior |
| Champion Stayer (2200m and over) | Romantic Warrior |
| Champion Four-Year-Old | Invincible Ibis, Little Paradise, Numbers, Stormy Grove |
| Champion Griffin | Baby Sakura, Hot Delight, Salon S, Tycoon Resources |
| Horse of the Year | Elected by Judging Panel vote from category winners (excl. Champion Griffin) |
