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Get the Popcorn Ready for Champions Day at Sha Tin

Mark Smith - Friday Apr 28

Excitement is building for Champions Day at Sha Tin on Sunday, with all the winners of the three features last year back to defend their titles.

Romantic Warrior (IRE) hasn't done much wrong since winning the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup by two lengths a year ago.

The Irish-bred son of Acclamation flogged two of Sunday's opponents Danon The Kid (JPN) and Money Catcher (NZ), in a four-and-a-half length romp in the Hong Kong Cup in December.

Geraldina the product of two champion (image Grant Courtney)

James McDonald will be back on the Danny Shum-trained gelding, who lost little when second to Golden Sixty at his most recent starts in the Hong Kong Gold Cup and The Stewards Cup.

Japanese horses have been winning for fun around the world and have three serious contenders in Danon The Kid (Just A Way), Prognosis (Deep Impact), and Geraldina (Maurice).  

Geraldina (JPN) may well be the best-bred horse on show at the meeting, a daughter of the revered champion Gentildonna (Deep Impact).

Dubai Honour (IRE) is responsible for adding credibility to the Australian form. The son of  Pride Of Dubai is coming off a defeat of Mo'unga and Anamoe after he treated the opposition with contempt in the Ranvet Stakes.  

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Golden Sixty revs up for a third Champions Mile (image Grant Courtney)

Local hero Golden Sixty attempts to make it three consecutive wins in the Champions Mile. The Australian-bred son of Medaglia d'Oro (USA) defeated California Spangle (IRE) in the race last year, and expect the son of Starspangledbanner to be the stumbling block again.

The Annabel Neasham-trained My Oberon (IRE) is hard to catch, but the son of Dubawi looked to be something near his best when second in the Doncaster Mile.

The 4yo Deep Field gelding Voyage Bubble scored a fighting win at his most recent start in the Hong Kong Derby.

Lucky Sweynesse at unbackable odds in Chairmans Sprint (image Grant Courtney)

The All Too Hard gelding Wellington is also attempting a three-peat in the Chairman's Sprint Prize. But he has played second fiddle to the rising star Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) in the Centenary Sprint Cup, The Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, and The Sprint Cup.

The Manfred Man-trained son of Sweynesse is a long odd-on favourite to make it five wins in a row and twelve from sixteen overall. 

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