Voyage Bubble has sealed his ascent into Hong Kong’s elite class with emphatic victory in the HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (21 January) as James McDonald anointed Ricky Yiu’s flagbearer as an emerging star.

Providing Yiu with his first Group 1 triumph in Hong Kong since Amber Sky’s 2014 G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m), Voyage Bubble propelled McDonald to his sixth Hong Kong Group 1 spoil after stalking California Spangle and Beauty Eternal from third place before asserting his superiority with terminal acceleration from the 350m mark.

Improving his career record to six wins and six minor placings from 15 starts and prize money of HK$41.05 million, Voyage Bubble gave McDonald his second Hong Kong Group 1 score this season after Romantic Warrior’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) success.

“I was in a nice, controlling position where I felt like if the pace slackened – which it did – that I was in a free-rolling position and I had enough room around so that I could go when I wanted to go and it worked out perfectly,” McDonald said after Voyage Bubble downed Beauty Eternal by a length and a quarter with Beauty Joy another length away in third in 1m 33.97s.

“I’m very proud of this horse. He put in a fantastic run in the International Mile (G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, 1600m, when second to Golden Sixty) and backed it up today. There’s no heir apparent to Golden Sixty but we’re happy to be the next man jogging on the spot, so to speak, and we’re probably lucky the champ wasn’t there.”

Addressing Voyage Bubble’s future, McDonald said the 2023 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) winner had a host of options.

“He’s lightly-raced, he’s five, he’s at the peak of his powers. The world’s his oyster, really. They can go wherever they want to go, Australia, Dubai or Japan – I don’t know, I’ll leave that to the connections to see where he fits in against really good international competitors,” McDonald said before reconfirming he would partner Romantic Warrior in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) on 25 February.

While Yiu is weighing up tilts at either the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) at Meydan on 30 March or the G1 Doncaster Mile Handicap (1600m) at Randwick in Sydney on 6 April, McDonald said there were plenty of opportunities in Hong Kong for Voyage Bubble.

“The beauty about Hong Kong racing is there are so many options there and with Golden Sixty being at the ripe old age he is, the baton needs to be changed eventually, and he might be the new kid on the block especially over 1400m to a mile and Hong Kong caters so well for that,” the New Zealander said.

“He’s going to be a force to be reckoned with here and a flagbearer for the horses here and I’m just looking forward to seeing where he fits in, obviously being such a young, progressive horse.

“The racing’s here is fantastic – so competitive and very fair – and to be lucky enough to partner such good horses, it’s an absolute privilege to be here. I enjoy coming in and as long as the Club allows me, I would be here in a heartbeat. Obviously, I’m very lucky to be falling on two very good horses in Voyage Bubble and Romantic Warrior and just see what happens next.”

Yiu said he was yet to commit fully to a plan with Voyage Bubble but ruled out a tilt at the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, the second leg of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown.

“I’m really happy and really happy with the horse. He’s full of talent and he keeps improving. I’ve been waiting for some years (for a horse like this),” Yiu said before logging double when Natural Storm won the Class 2 Keung Shan Handicap (2000m).

McDonald also posted a brace after Wunderbar continued his startling progression for John Size with a fourth win in five starts – with a second slender margin over Ka Ying Rising – with victory in the Class 3 Bennet’s Hill Handicap (1200m).

Triumphing by a short head over fellow three-year-old Ka Ying Rising, Wunderbar again impressed McDonald.

“I’ve got a lot of time for him. Every time John raises the bar, even if the wins are not by big margins, it feels like there’s always a bit there,” McDonald said of the Rich Enuff gelding.

“He’s so young by Hong Kong standards, as John pointed out, he’s going to reach some good heights.”

Zac Purton took riding honours with a treble, while Pierre Ng extended an incredible season with Mugen’s outstanding victory in the Class 2 Tin Wan Shan Handicap (1400m) under Karis Teetan.

Purton extended his lead in the jockeys’ championship to 16 over Teetan after wins on Jamie Richards-trained Rattan World in the Class 5 Beacon Hill Handicap (1200m), John Size’s Golden Rise in the second section of the Class 4 Caroline Hill Handicap (1400m) and David Hayes-trained Storm Rider in the Class 3 Tsz Wan Shan Handicap (1400m).

Hayes earlier joined the fray when Hugh Bowman drove Rubylot through a narrow gap to clinch the Class 4 Cheung Shan Handicap (1000m). Bowman swiftly made it a race-to-race double when Francis Lui’s Superb Kid finished stoutly to snare the Class 4 Po Leung Kuk Cup Handicap (1400m).

Mark Newnham notched his 10th win of the season when Matthew Chadwick piloted Massive Talent to victory in the Class 4 Diamond Hill Handicap (1200m).

Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Wednesday night (24 January).