Voyage Bubble’s Smooth Journey Delivers HK Derby Sad Win

When one door slams shut, one other can immediately open, and for jockey Alexis Badel, the open door at Sha Tin Racecourse on March 19 was a journey. Journey Balloon and a surprising, unhappy victory within the Hong Kong Derby.

WHAT A RESULT! 🤯🤯

A forty five/1 defeat within the 146th @BMW Hong Kong Derby as Voyage Balloon narrowly wins @AlexisBadel and Ricky Yiu. #4YO Series | #HKrace pic.twitter.com/DO6Jtt9cwX

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) 19 March 2023

Badel loses his mount in Hong Kong dash champion Wellington on the co-featured Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1), in favor of worldwide celebrity Ryan Moore, who simply arrived within the metropolis after two Group 1 wins in Australia the day earlier than. Then coach Ricky Yiu requested Badel if he’d prefer to attempt the 45-1 likelihood at Voyage Bubble.

The 4-year-old did not appear to be a good trade-off as he completed sixth within the 1,800m (about 1 1/4 mile) Hong Kong Traditional Cup Derby prep race and was doubtful within the 2,000m. your derby. Based on the cut price, he pulled the quantity 14 outdoors stall in a single race with a really brief run to the primary flip.

Badel and Yiu had a plan to cope with all this. Out the door, Voyage Bubble rolled the flip and landed behind the court docket. Straightening down the riverside trailing strut, he started to easily overtake his opponents, gaining a putting four-width place on the prime of the stretch.

It was a four-way dash to the end within the final 100 meters, and Badel simply put Voyage Bubble’s nostril within the line first. Moore guided one other lengthy shot, tucheldwelling second, a brief head in entrance of the sideburn, Magnificence Everlasting and Hong Kong’s main rider, Zac Purton.

“It is not over till it is over, which is nice,” stated French Badel, 33, whose season was interrupted by suspension and harm. “It is a good instance that you need to come again, hold going. I am grateful to Ricky and his contacts for calling me for this horse. He is clearly a really gifted horse.”

“Everybody thought the move was dangerous, however that is most likely why I received the race as a result of I had to return,” Badel stated. “We needed to change our plan and the tempo wasn’t too quick and early on I relaxed my horse and saved the bottom after which I did not hesitate to enhance a bit on the again straight. The horse was powerful. He has an amazing efficiency. he actually confirmed some high quality on the guts and straight.”

Struggling to increase Hong Kong’s obligatory retirement age of 65, Yiu received the Derby for the primary time. Within the earlier seven tries, he had nothing higher than ending in seventh place.

“After all, that is essentially the most prestigious race in Hong Kong races and I’m very, very comfortable and grateful to have received this Derby race,” stated Yiu, whereas admitting his doubts concerning the sturdiness of the Voyage Bubble.

“We tried over 2,000 various things and he nonetheless managed to carry out,” Yiu stated. “He is an unbelievable horse. This horse is flexible, over a mile or 2,000 metres. He clearly has an amazing coronary heart.”

A number of the ache was gone when 6-year-old Badel’s drop within the Wellington standings was solely in a position to take third place within the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, like his two-year-old rival. Fortunate Sweynesse chased the pacesetter California Stamp To win by 1 1/4 lengths within the final 100 meters of the 1,400 meter (roughly 7 lengthy distance) dash.

Wellington chased the main pair all through the race and didn’t punch within the late going, ending third and beating 4 1/2 tall.

Fortunate Sweynesse completed an unfortunate sixth in December on the Longines Hong Kong Dash (G1), which Wellington received. Since then, he has claimed three straight wins within the dash division, after which he claimed to steal the year-end awards.

Successful rider James McDonald, one other customer within the weigh-in room, stated, “He is a fairly easy horse.” He picked up momentum shortly and we had a superb rear place behind the California Spangle and he obtained a pleasant tag into the race from the five hundred and took dwelling a dash. It felt like a racing automotive.”

Successful coach Manfred Man stated that Fortunate Sweynesse will likely be addressing the President’s Dash Award (G1) with an abroad eye any more at Sha Tin on April 30. “Possibly June, Japan race,” he stated.

That might be the 1,600m (about 6 lengthy distances) Yasuda Kinen 4 June at Tokyo Racecourse, a race received for Hong Kong in 2000. Fairy King ShrimpSkilled by Yiu and in 2006 Bull Luck .