A fresh Nimble Nimbus will be out to upset the applecart when he heads to Sha Tin on Sunday to contest the Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
Expat Kiwi hoop James McDonald, who was recently crowned the 2024 LONGINES world’s best jockey, will be seeking an historic third straight win in the race aboard Romantic Warrior, but Kiwi-bred Nimble Nimbus will be looking to spoil the party.
The seven-year-old gelding has been a consistent performer for trainer Ricky Yiu, who purchased him out of breeder Waikato Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $100,000.
Yiu was taken by his pedigree and was impressed with his presence when inspecting him at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka sales complex.
“I liked his pedigree, especially the sire, Sacred Falls, and unfortunately he passed away,” Yiu said.
“I thought he would develop into a very good-looking horse. I liked the way he walked, I can still remember that he walked with a lot of determination and was eager.
“We put him away for a six-month spell to give him more time to develop, then we started to break him in.”
Yiu’s patient approach has paid dividends, with Nimble Nimbus having now won four races, including the Gr.3 Centenary Vase (1800m) at Sha Tin in February, and he has also placed in the Gr.1 Citi of Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and Gr.2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m).
Nimble Nimbus has enjoyed time at Chonghua Racecourse in China since his placing behind Romantic Warrior in the BOCHK Jockey Club Cup last month, and Yiu said he has returned a reinvigorated horse.
“He is doing really well. He has spent most of his time in Conghua in China, and he has enjoyed that very much,” Yiu said. “He came back to Hong Kong a fresh horse, he looks really fresh, he is ready to go.”
While aware of the steep task his charge faces on Sunday, Yiu is confident of a bold showing from barrier two.
“We have got a pretty decent draw,” he said. “He is running against one of the best in the world (Romantic Warrior) over the trip. If my horse finishes in the first three I will be happy, the competition is very strong.”