The Torryburn stud team, watching as they always do when their ‘plain bay fellow’ races, would have had a gasp or two mid race but it ended up as easy as it comes with Voyage Bubble making it three Group I wins from his last three starts in the Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.
James McDonald hot-footed it back to Hong Kong after his mighty second aboard Romantic Warrior in the Saudi Cup to partner a horse he’d previously had six rides upon for four wins, three of them at Group One level, all wins.
This race made it seven rides for four wins at the Group One level but it didn’t come easily.
Settling midfield in a lovely spot, Voyage Bubble clipped heels mid race with ultimate runner-up Ensued and was rocketed back to near last, however the horse had been travelling easily beforehand and was travelling equally as easily when the dust had settled so McDonald was far from in panic mode.
The pair regrouped and once finding clear running into the straight it was done, going on to beat Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) by 3.8 lengths with Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) third.
Voyage Bubble is out of the four-time winning Rahy mare Raheights, also dam of Group III winner Diddums, and had not had a foal since 2019, however undoubtedly to the delight of the Torryburn team has produced a filly in 2024 by Home Affairs.
Listen to Torryburn's Mel Copelin talking about Voyage Bubble on the Tara Talks Racing podcast after he was the Inglis Classic Sale topper in 2020.
