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25 Apr 2018

International raiders eye Champions Series dates at Royal Ascot

Lucky Bubbles

Lucky Bubbles wins the Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin last year under Hugh Bowman. Picture: Racingfotos.com

A string of international raiders could feature in the QIPCO British Champions Series this summer after entries for the eight Group One races at Royal Ascot in June, revealed today, included representation from six overseas countries – Australia, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan and the USA.

The potential raiders include 12 American entries, three each from Australia and Japan, plus one from Hong Kong.

Lucky Bubbles, trained in Hong Kong, is an intended runner in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on June 24.

The Francis Lui-trained six-year-old, who defends his Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on Sunday, is being targeted at an overseas campaign by his trainer with the Group 1 contest at the Royal Meeting among his summer targets.

“Royal Ascot is one of the most prestigious race meetings in the world and it will be a great honour for us to participate,” Lui said. “As we have a suitable horse to be entered for the meeting, I decided to have an entry and would say that Lucky Bubbles will have a great chance to go.”

Lucky Bubbles would be the seventh runner from Hong Kong in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, with Cape Of Good Hope’s victory in 2005 being the highlight.

Gold-Fun, trained by Richard Gibson, was runner-up to Twilight Son in the 2016 renewal.

Lui’s gelding faces eight rivals in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize on Sunday. which is one of the three Grade 1s on HK Champions Day.

The opposition will include the Charlie Appleby-trained Blue Point, who was third in the Commonwealth Cup last summer and is another who is likely to target the Diamond Jubilee Stakes after his excursions in Hong Kong.