Unforgettable: Voyage Bubble Clinches the Triple Crown at Sha Tin

The son of Deep Field demolished his rivals in the Champions & Chater Cup (G1), securing his fifth Group 1 victory and completing a historic feat previously achieved only by River Verdon more than three decades ago. South American runners filled the last three spots in the field

Voyage Bubble Shines Once Again at Sha Tin / HKJC

SHA TIN, Hong Kong (Special for Turf Diario).- In a performance that will be remembered for years to come, Voyage Bubble delivered a sensational victory in Sunday’s Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (G1, 2400m, HK$13 million) at Sha Tin, rewriting Hong Kong racing history and becoming just the second horse ever to complete the Triple Crown. With a flawless ride from James McDonald, the son of Deep Field silenced all doubts about his ability to stay the trip, drawing high praise from both his rider and trainer Ricky Yiu.

The chestnut galloper powered away in the stretch to score by an emphatic 3 1/2 lengths over Rubylot (Rubick) and Cap Ferrat (Snitzel), stopping the clock in 2:26.67 and joining the legendary River Verdon (Be My Native)—who swept the series in 1993/94—as the only Triple Crown winners in Hong Kong racing history.

Having already captured the Stewards’ Cup (G1, 1600m) and the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1, 2000m), Voyage Bubble sealed the treble in unforgettable fashion. It marked his fifth G1 victory, adding to a résumé that also includes last year’s Hong Kong Derby (G1).

The win earned a HK$10 million Triple Crown bonus in addition to the HK$7.28 million winner’s share of the purse, pushing Voyage Bubble’s career earnings to HK$107.4 million for the Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate.

Currently atop the Longines World's Best Jockey rankings, McDonald said he felt the race was his the moment Zac Purton moved Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) into contention 600 meters from home, joining Chilean runner Moments in Time (Ivan Denisovich) and Dubai Honour (Pride of Dubai) on the front end.

As the ten-horse field began to scatter, McDonald remained composed, biding his time before unleashing Voyage Bubble’s explosive kick at the 270-meter mark to seize the lead and charge into the history books.

“You dream of days like this—everything went perfectly. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” McDonald said, smiling from ear to ear. “The stars aligned, and with the trip he got, it was always going to be hard to beat him. Even with a tougher run, I think he still wins—he was just that good today.”

He continued: “At the 600 he was traveling beautifully, the tempo lifted at the right time, and it all just flowed. It was smooth and clean. He’s a brilliant horse—he keeps stepping up and keeps surprising me every time I ride him.”

McDonald has partnered Voyage Bubble in all five of his Group 1 wins, and admitted he’s still puzzled by their shock defeat to 89-1 longshot Red Lion (Belardo) in the Champions Mile (G1) last month.

“I honestly still don’t know how we lost that one,” he said. “But today, he was a different horse—he was in the zone. Ricky’s team did a fantastic job getting him back here in top shape. I’m lucky to ride him—he’s a star. He does everything right and always gives you 110 percent. He was on point today, and he’s a true champion.”

McDonald emphasized the importance of the horse’s versatility: “He relaxes, he conserves energy, and that’s what lets him get the trip so well. Full credit to Ricky and his team—they’ve done an amazing job.”

He concluded with admiration: “To go from a miler to winning at 2400 meters at this level—it’s a remarkable feat. They’ve got a real champion on their hands, and Voyage Bubble deserves every bit of praise. He’s incredible. I’m so proud of him.”

For the South American contingent, it was a disappointing day, with Chilean-bred Racatan (Lookin At Lucky), Argentine Zodiacal (Cityscape), and Preparante (Moments In Time) finishing in the final three positions.