A Torryburn Gasp Before their Plain Bay Fellow Wins G1 No 4

Craig Tompson - Sunday February 23

The Torryburn stud team, watching as they always do when their ‘plain bay fellow’ races, would have had a gasp or two mid race but it ended up as easy as it comes with Voyage Bubble making it three Group I wins from his last three starts in the Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Voyage Bubble wins the HK Gold Cup

James McDonald hot-footed it back to Hong Kong after his mighty second aboard Romantic Warrior in the Saudi Cup to partner a horse he’d previously had six rides upon for four wins, three of them at Group One level, all wins.

This race made it seven rides for four wins at the Group One level but it didn’t come easily.

Settling midfield in a lovely spot, Voyage Bubble clipped heels mid race with ultimate runner-up Ensued and was rocketed back to near last, however the horse had been travelling easily beforehand and was travelling equally as easily when the dust had settled so McDonald was far from in panic mode.

The pair regrouped and once finding clear running into the straight it was done, going on to beat Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) by 3.8 lengths with Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) third.

Voyage Bubble is out of the four-time winning Rahy mare Raheights, also dam of Group III winner Diddums, and had not had a foal since 2019, however undoubtedly to the delight of the Torryburn team has produced a filly in 2024 by Home Affairs.

Listen to Torryburn's Mel Copelin talking about Voyage Bubble on the Tara Talks Racing podcast after he was the Inglis Classic Sale topper in 2020.

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Race Result - The Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup Gr1 2000m

Sha Tin Track: Good Time: 2:00.59
1
Voyage Bubble
- 6g Deep Field (AUS) x Raheights (AUS) (Rahy (USA))
Tnr: P F Yiu Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57
2
3.8
Ensued
- 5g Lemon Drop Kid (USA) x Alluvial Gold (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: J J Size Rdr: K Teetan 57
3
5
Chancheng Glory
- 5g Mor Spirit (USA) x Solid Scam (USA) (Consolidator (USA))
Tnr: K W Lui Rdr: J Bowman 57
4
5
Winning Dragon
- 7g Ivan Denisovich (IRE) x Perdoname (CHI) (Stuka (USA))
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: H Bentley 57
5
5.3
Happy Together
- 6g Dragon Pulse (IRE) x Ruby Girl (IRE) (Fast Company (IRE))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: A Badel 57
6
5.3
La City Blanche
- 6g Cityscape (GB) x Etoile Blanc (BRZ) (Nedawi (GB))
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: M Chadwick 57
7
6
Straight Arron
- 6g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Imperial Lass (NZ) (Tavistock (NZ))
Tnr: P F Yiu Rdr: Luke Ferraris 57
8
6.5
Galaxy Patch
- 5g Wandjina (AUS) x Voltara (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: P C Ng Rdr: B Shinn 57
9
7.3
Five G Patch
- 7g Camelot (GB) x Uliana (USA) (Darshaan (GB))
Tnr: A S Cruz Rdr: B Avdulla 57
10
11.8
Sword Point
- 6g American Pharoah (USA) x Jazz Song (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: F C Lor Rdr: A Atzeni 57
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