Champion’s Way Wins G3 Chinese Challenge Cup

Tara Madgwick - Friday January 1

The Group III Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on New Year’s Day delivered a return to form for Hinchinbrook gelding Champion’s Way.

Champion's Way wins the G3 Chinese Challenge Cup - image HKJC

A stakes-winner back in June 2019, Champion’s Way had not won a race since, but recaptured his best form to win by more than a length.

Advertisement



Beaten by Hong Kong banner horse Golden Sixty at his three previous starts, Champion’s Way benefited from his trainer John Size’s decision to bypass international day when he was given a superb ride by Karis Teetan to down the luckless Sky Darci and Mighty Giant.

Size attributed the gelding’s first victory since June 2019 to a drop in class, conceding the five-year-old struggles at elite level.

“I think they’re too strong for him and he’s just wasting his energy,” the Australian trainer said of Champion’s Way’s inability to add to the six victories (from seven starts) he posted in the 2018/19 season.

“At least he’s won another race, which we were hoping to do.

“He’s found Class 1 racing and group racing a little bit difficult for him and today circumstances suited him – the run of the race and track condition – so he was able to do his best.”

A $150,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Holbrook Thoroughbreds draft for John Foote Bloodstock, Champion’s Way has won seven races and placed five times from 18 starts and was the Champion Griffin in HK for 2018- 2019.

One of 21 stakes-winners by Yarraman Park’s much missed sire Hinchinbrook, Champion’s Way is the best of four winners from winning Redoute’s Choice mare Greta’s Yarn, who comes from the family of Group I winner Signify.

Champion’s Way has an interesting pedigree featuring a double cross of Danehill as well as Lunchtime and Storm Bird.



Newgate Farm will offer a close relation to Champion’s Way in Lot 195, a dashing grey colt by Caravaggio (USA) from Criquette, a four time winning half-sister to Champion’s Way by I Am Invincible.

Caravaggio colt from Criquette, a half-sister to Champion's Way.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - The Chinese Club Challenge Cup Gr3 1400m

Sha Tin Track: Good Time: 1:20.99
1
Champion's Way
- 5g Hinchinbrook (AUS) x Greta's Yarn (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: K Teetan 53.5
Hinchinbrook
2
1.3
Sky Darci
- 4g Darci Brahma (NZ) x Strictly Maternal (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: C Fownes Rdr: J Moreira 52.5
3
2.1
Mighty Giant
- 5g Power (GB) x Wanderov (NZ) (Ustinov (AUS))
Tnr: P Yiu Rdr: Z Purton 54.5
4
3.5
Fat Turtle
- 6g Smart Missile (AUS) x Pilya (USA) (Gulch (USA))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: A Badel 54
5
4.8
Ka Ying Star
- 6g Cityscape (GB) x Casual Glance (GB) (Sinndar (IRE))
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: C Schofield 60.5
6
5.3
Winning Dreamer
- 4g Deep Field (AUS) x Markisa (NZ) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: C Y Ho 52.5
7
10.0
Buddies
- 5g So You Think (NZ) x Gladwell (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: C Soumillon 55
8
12.0
Kings Shield
- 6g Scat Daddy (USA) x Gender Dance (USA) (Miesque's Son (USA))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: K C Leung 53.5
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Sires With Winners - Friday October 24
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pedigree Watch - Powerhouse Godolphin 3YOs Dominate
The current crop of three year-olds running for Godolphin lay claim to being the best they have ever produced in Australia and three of those colts won Group races in Australia on Saturday so let’s take a look at those pedigrees.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.