Free betting tips for Wednesday's card at Happy Valley | The Hong Kong File

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Ratings reflect a Rising HKIR tide

The results are in and the ratings response shows that LONGINES HKIR 2025 was a special renewal.

SOSIE recorded a career best Timeform rating of 125 to beat four other G1 winners in the Vase.

VOYAGE BUBBLE ran right up to his best (125) to get the better of a sustained duel with old foe Soul Rush in the Mile.

The rugged ROMANTIC WARRIOR bounded away with a fourth Cup, running very close to his 129 peak in taking his G1 tally to eleven and his earnings to a world record £23m plus.

And the brilliant KA YING RISING danced his way to a second Sprint, not having to run to his very best TF rating of 135 but turning in another 130-plus performance in cementing his claim as the best in the world this year.

Questions, questions….

The spotlight will switch back to Happy Valley on Wednesday but, with 2026 in mind, a few intriguing questions spring to mind.

How good is Ka Ying Rising?

We know he’s truly exceptional – just one win shy of matching Silent Witness’s record of 17 in a row – and he looks like he can rate even higher when all the pace planets align.

How will the Warrior fare if he returns to Riyadh?

Father Time will have his say at some point but that Saudi Cup battle with Forever Young provided an epic start to 2025 and it would be great to see a rematch next February.

And what will 2026 bring from the visitors?

The Vase will always be a European safe space but the local sharks in the Sprint, Mile and Cup pools make HK G1 wins very hard to come by nowadays.

Add in the fact that relations between China and Japan have become delicate and it will be fascinating to see what the global challenge looks like for the three G1s run on Champions Day in April.

And finally, how much more vibrant would Flat racing be without the race to stud?

HK fans regard KYR as just getting going aged five with 19 runs behind him, while Voyage Bubble and Romantic Warrior look as good as ever rising eight after 29 and 27 outings apiece.

Champion Stakes and Japan Cup hero Calandagan has played an equally strong part in what has been a glorious year for geldings.

His feats, and those of the HK heroes, show exactly what’s possible when a good young horse is given time to reach full maturity and, with a little luck, we might see him on the HKIR trail in 2026, too.

Moxie and Hughie to take the brave man’s route

Rematches are a recurring theme on Wednesday’s nine-race Valley card, including when Glorious Journey and Top Time cross swords again in the Lark Handicap at 12.10.

This pair came clear to dominate a similar event here last month and it’s easy to argue a case for TOP TIME reversing the form with a 7lb pull and Zac Purton for the first time.

But CALIFORNIA MOXIE is another to have in your corner here.

Tony Cruz’s gelding has finished unplaced on all his three starts this season but he’s had very little luck on the last two, running into heavy traffic off the final bend, and a smoother run under Hughie Bowman this time will see him do much better.

Star to shine again in the nightcap

Richard Kingscote doubled his score for the season when Blue Illusion cooked up a 97-1 boil-over at the Valley two weeks ago and the Blue Point gelding bids to confirm the form with Love Together, Superb King and Eternal Fortune in the Night Jar Handicap at 2.15.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Eternal Fortune bounce back at a fair price under Bowman this time, while SOUTH STAR finished behind Super Unicorn, I Can and Fantastic Fun from the outside alley on his latest start but can do a good deal better from a much handier gate (4) in the concluding Sea Eagle Handicap at 2.50.

Those who find it impossible to resist the shortest priced horse on the card will dive into Flow Water Flow in the Albatross Handicap (11.40) and John Size’s gelding looked a winner in waiting when beaten a nose, coming home powerfully, on his debut.

Another bold bid looks assured from gate 4 under that man Bowman but the odds will be short – probably around 2.4 – and DENFIELD and Hollie Doyle look a fair win and place alternative.

Hughie seems to have deserted this lad, but Danny Shum’s gelding has dropped a long way in the weights and could be poised to capitalise after going down narrowly in a blanket finish here three weeks ago.

Wednesday’s Valley Views

11.40: Denfield (EW)

12.10: California Moxie /Top Time

2.50: South Star

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