The Torryburn Stud brand is no stranger to success in Hong Kong having been carried by Group I winning sprinter Hot King Prawn and it appears on Voyage Bubble, who topped the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and won the HK$24 million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Despite winning the first leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 29 January – Voyage Bubble was largely shunned in Derby discussions after finishing sixth behind Super Sunny Sing in the traditional Derby lead-up, the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 26 February.
Trainer Ricky Yiu and jockey Alexis Badel had other ideas though, hatching a plan to go back in the field from the outside barrier with Voyage Bubble, who went to the post as a rank outsider.
Restraining Voyage Bubble to last and dropping to the fence, Badel waited until the long back straight to improve his position, moving immediately outside race favourite Beauty Eternal on the home turn before striking the front in the shadows of the post and fending off Tuchel (Redwood (GB) by a short head with Beauty Eternal (Starspangledbanner) in third place.
“Everybody thought the gate was bad, but it was actually probably the reason I won the race because I had to come back. We had to change our plan and the tempo wasn’t very quick and I had my horse relax early and I saved ground and then I had no hesitation to improve a bit on the back straight. The horse was tough, he’s got a great heart and he really showed some quality in the straight,” said Badel.
“He was brilliant and I’m very happy for the connections, the owners and myself. I still can’t believe it, actually. It’s like the race isn’t finished yet. It’s very special.
“Being a jockey, you go through ups and downs and this season has been very difficult for me. I came back from injury and suspensions and it means everything to win such a big race in Hong Kong as a jockey.
“All you are really looking for are the Group 1s, the major races and the (BMW) Hong Kong Derby is just history so I’m very grateful to Ricky, his stable and all the connections – the people who gave me the support on the horse and I’m very, very happy. I feel blessed that I was able to produce such a good performance today and the horse was superb.”
Hong Kong Champion Trainer in 2019/20, Ricky Yiu has been more renowned for his association with outstanding Australian bred sprinters such as Sacred Kingdom and Fairy King Prawn and this was his first Hong Kong Derby success.
At 65, Yiu has been given the chance to extend his career beyond the usual retirement age providing he satisfies certain performance criteria and, with a double today, he sits in second place in this season’s championship with 41 wins behind 11-time champion John Size (46).
“Of course, this is the most prestigious race in Hong Kong racing and I’m very, very happy and grateful to win this Derby race,” said an elated Yiu.
“Over the trip, 2000 metres, I was a little bit doubtful, and then again with the wide draw. We needed to try something different. We even looked at the previous Derby races, horses drawn from the outside and where they finished and where they made a move.
“We just stuck to the plan. He had to be relaxed at the first bend, as relaxed as possible, and make the run from the back stretch slowly, gradually. Alexis did a very good job, a tremendous job.
“Over the 2000m we tried something different and he (Voyage Bubble) still managed to perform. He is an incredible horse. This horse is very versatile, over the mile or 2000m. Obviously he’s got a great heart.”
Voyage Bubble was bought by his trainer for $380,000 at Inglis Classic from the Torryburn draft and is a half-brother to Group III winner Diddums and stakes-placed Brettan being the sixth winner from seven to race out of the now pensioned good producer Raheights.
With five wins and four placings from 11 starts, Voyage Bubble is the consummate professional and was the most expensive of 20 yearlings by Deep Field sold at Inglis Classic in 2020 topping the entire sale.
Torryburn Stud sold from this family at Magic Millions this year with a Written Tycoon colt from Diddums selling for $200,000 to Best Bloodstock.
Voyage Bubble is one of 24 stakes-winners for Deep Field, who has 14 entries for Inglis Easter and is leading the HK Sires list by earnings and winners for this season.
