Ricky Yiu unveils debutant Blazing Wukong ahead of Triple Crown bid with Voyage Bubble
Veteran handler eyes first-up victory with smart trialler a week before Group One bid with stable star
Gearing up for his shot at Triple Crown history with Voyage Bubble next week, Ricky Yiu Poon-fai will unveil an intriguing newcomer in Blazing Wukong at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The veteran handler has stable star Voyage Bubble on track for the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) on May 25, with the four-time Group One victor bidding to join River Verdon as the only winners of Hong Kong's Triple Crown.
But first, Yiu will take a seven-strong team to Sha Tin on Sunday including debutant Blazing Wukong in the Class Four Hilltop In The Valley Handicap (1,200m).
The Toronado three-year-old has shown promise in his five trials at Conghua, including a pair of fast-finishing seconds on turf and a closing third on the dirt in his latest hit-out.
'He's a pretty straightforward sort of a horse,' Yiu said.
'He's had [five] trials before having his first start and his trials have been promising. The feedback on this horse is positive. He's good as gold.'
Blazing Wukong has drawn barrier eight for his race debut, with Andrea Atzeni booked for the ride.
While the newcomer has generally raced off the speed in his trials, Yiu is happy to let Atzeni make the call on race tactics.
'I'm going to leave it to the jockey. It depends on how quick they go. I don't want to force him or tie him down to any riding instructions, he's a young horse,' Yiu said.
Voyage Bubble tuned up for his @StanChart Champions & Chater Cup test with a barrier trial this morning as he aims to become Hong Kong's second #TripleCrown winner EVER! 🏆
📍 Sha Tin, 25 May | #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/TqAYqijTQE — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 16, 2025
Blazing Wukong carries the black, red and yellow colours of owner Jason Chan Kam-kwan, who races Group Three winner Nimble Nimbus with Yiu.
The unexposed galloper strikes a winnable race to start his career, with debut runner-up Rainbow Seven and last-start third placegetter Club Ace boasting the strongest recent form.
Joyful Friendship, The Concentration, Rising Force, Volcanic Spark, Jolly Ruler and Winning Data are the other Sha Tin runners for Yiu, who was pleased with Voyage Bubble's closing fourth under Matthew Poon Ming-fai in a dirt trial on Friday.
'After this trial, we'll just keep him as happy as possible and keep him ticking over until race day,' Yiu said.
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