South China Morning Pos / Sport

1. Ticket touts profit at WTT Finals Hong Kong as fans pay to see Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha

   Ticket touts have been operating freely at table tennis’ year-end finals in Hong Kong, charging fans extortionate sums to watch the world’s leading stars. Touts outside Hong Kong Coliseum were selling WTT Finals tickets at more than twice their original price, and buying tickets from exiting fans then reselling them, the Post found. The tournament concluded on Sunday evening. Scalpers asked 2,000 yuan (HK$2,207, or US$283) for tickets with a face value of HK$960 for Friday evening, which...

2. Voyage Bubble defeats Soul Rush for second year on the bounce to defend Hong Kong Mile

   Voyage Bubble showed the heart of a champion to defend his Group One Longines Hong Kong Mile crown in another ding-dong scrap with Japan’s Soul Rush at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Triple Crown hero won the race 12 months ago when defeating Soul Rush by a length and a quarter and there was a sense of deja vu with a mirror result – though it did not always look likely. Sent off the $3.6 second favourite behind My Wish, Voyage Bubble gradually made ground down the back...

3. HKIR ‘one of the greatest days of Hong Kong racing’ despite scary incident with track invader

   A protester calling for a deeper investigation into the Tai Po fire almost cancelled Hong Kong’s richest horse race on Sunday, but even that could not stop Jockey Club boss Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges calling it one of the city’s “greatest days”. With a record number of tourists making the trip to Sha Tin, and two of the city’s stars cementing their places among the world’s greatest racehorses, not even a drop in turnover could dim the CEO’s delight at the climax of the Hong Kong International...

4. Romantic Warrior creates history again with fourth straight Hong Kong Cup victory

   James McDonald was speechless and Danny Shum Chap-shing felt great relief as champion galloper Romantic Warrior created history again with a fourth straight Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) triumph. Romantic Warrior became the first galloper to win four features at the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) when he cruised to victory over Japan’s Bellagio Opera at Sha Tin on Sunday. “He’s so special. He’s just a freak,” McDonald said after guiding Romantic Warrior to an 11th Group One...

5. Helene Supafeeling lays down Classic Series credentials with sparkling debut at Sha Tin

   Helene Supafeeling overcame inexperience and a wide barrier to barge himself into Classic Series contention after a sparkling local debut in the Class Three Snow Fairy Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The David Eustace-trained galloper was a dual winner on the all-weather in Britain for Archie Watson pre-import and had shown potential in his trials ahead of his local debut. Sent off $7.8 under James McDonald, Helene Supafeeling only had two behind turning wide into the straight. Despite...

6. Ka Ying Rising continues march towards Silent Witness’ record with thumping Hong Kong Sprint victory

   Ka Ying Rising moved to within one win of champion Silent Witness’ Hong Kong record with a showstopping blitz in Sunday’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Twelve months after claiming his first elite-level success in the same race but only narrowly, the world’s best sprinter delivered the performance everyone expected when coasting to his 16th straight victory. “That’s what everyone wanted. Obviously after last year they were a bit flat, but this year we showed...

7. Maxime Guyon and Andre Fabre deliver again as Sosie wins the Group One Hong Kong Vase

   Jockey Maxime Guyon, trainer Andre Fabre and owners Wertheimer & Frere snared the Group One Longines Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) for the second time in three years when Sosie stormed to victory at Sha Tin on Sunday. By joining stablemate Junko on the honour roll, Sosie ensured Fabre became the most successful trainer in Vase history with four victories, while Guyon won the HK$26 million contest for the third time. “It’s good for all the team to win the Group One in Hong Kong. All the trainers and...

8. WTT Finals: Wang Chuqin pulls out in Hong Kong, empty seats for Japanese champion

   Wang Chuqin withdrew from the semi-finals of the WTT Finals on Sunday, the second world No 1 to pull out injured in the space of 24 hours, sparking concern among officials that there might be too many table tennis tournaments on the calendar. A day after women’s top seed Sun Yingsha forfeited during her singles semi-final in Hong Kong, her compatriot followed suit before his last-four contest against Sweden’s Truls Moregard had even begun. The absence of Wang resulted in swathes of empty seats...

9. K-pop star Rain gets Hong Kong races off to electric start, thousands pack into Sha Tin

   Tens of thousands of racing fans packed into Sha Tin on Sunday for the climax of the Longines Hong Kong International Races week, hoping to see stars like Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising add to their storied reputations. Visitors from South Africa, Japan, Australia and mainland China mixed with celebrities such as Chinese actor Yu Shi and local dignitaries, in the largest gathering in the city for a sporting occasion since the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po claimed the lives of at least...

10. Kazuki Higa becomes first Japanese golfer to win Asian Tour order of merit

    Kazuki Higa made history as the first golfer from Japan to win the Asian Tour order of merit after finishing seventh at the season-ending Saudi Open. Higa carded a four-under-par 68 in Saturday’s final round at Dirab Golf and Country Club, near Riyadh, to finish on 16 under, seven behind the winner Bjorn Hellgren of Sweden. It was enough to see Higa top the standings ahead of Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent. “I am so, so happy. This is a great honour,” the 30-year-old Higa said. “I just love playing...

11. China table tennis fans flock to WTT Finals in Hong Kong, with unlimited budgets for some

    Fans of Chinese table tennis superstars Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha have been a constant, visible presence at this week’s WTT Finals, packing into Hong Kong Coliseum in their sponsor-branded hoodies and T-shirts. Outside the venue, the fan village has become a gathering point, with supporters posing for photos in front of backdrops featuring Chinese national team players, queuing at the organisers’ and sponsors’ souvenir booths, and exchanging home-made banners and support items. Several...

12. Age just a number for Singapore Slinger Lim, 71-year-old sets world darts record

    A year after Luke Littler became the youngest winner of the PDC World Darts Championship, 71-year-old Paul Lim became the oldest winner of a match in the tournament’s history. Roared on by the usual raucous Alexandra Palace crowd on Saturday, the Singapore veteran stunned Dutch-born Swede Jeffrey de Graaf, winning 3-1. Lim, who famously thew the first world championship nine-darter way back in 1990, eclipsed the mark set by Northern Irishman John MaGowan who beat Chris Mason in December 2008,...

13. Hong Kong heavyweights headline action-packed international day at Sha Tin

    Perhaps the two best horses ever trained in Hong Kong will headline what promises to be an action-packed Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The highest-earning racehorse of all time with north of HK$217 million to his name, Romantic Warrior will attempt to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m). Victory in the first seven-runner Cup since 2007 would make Romantic Warrior the only four-time HKIR winner and the market suggests only...

14. WTT Finals Hong Kong: Sun Yingsha hit by injury, loses mixed doubles final with Wang Chuqin

    Sun Yingsha, the top women’s player in table tennis, had to withdraw in the middle of a match for the first time in her career as she bowed out of the singles semi-finals of the WTT Finals Hong Kong on Saturday with an apparent left ankle injury. A double heartbreak was to follow, after Sun joined Olympic and world champion partner Wang Chuqin in the mixed doubles final, where they were swept aside – 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 – by South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin at the Hong Kong Coliseum. It...

15. SCMP Best Bets: Star Rise can shine bright at Sha Tin

    Sam Agars HELENE SUPAFEELING - R2 (4) Trials suggest he could overcome a tricky draw   Jay Rooney STAR RISE - R9 (3) Terribly unlucky last start and looks well placed to atone here   Owen Goulding VOYAGE BOSS - R3 (4) Has finally drawn a barrier and recent trial winner remains unexposed   Phillip Woo EVERYONE'S STAR - R9 (2) Comes off two eye-catching runs at Sha Tin this season and should win   Shannon (Vincent Wong) MAJESTIC VALOUR - R3 (1) Scored well in his debut last start and can repeat...

16. Another Lionel Messi farce as angry Indian fans riot, vandalise stadium

    Angry spectators broke down barricades and stormed the pitch at a stadium in India after football star Lionel Messi, who is on a three-day tour of the country, abruptly left the arena. As part of a so-called GOAT Tour, the 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar touched down in the eastern state of West Bengal early on Saturday, greeted by a chorus of exuberant fans chanting his name. Hours later, thousands of fans wearing Messi jerseys and waving the Argentine flag packed into Salt Lake...

17. Track record unlikely but Zac Purton still has big expectations for Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong Sprint

    Zac Purton doubts Ka Ying Rising will lower his track record at Sha Tin on Sunday, but he still expects the world’s best sprinter to produce an electrifying display when he defends his Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) crown. The David Hayes-trained superstar chases a 16th consecutive victory and comes into the HK$28 million feature off the back of what Purton believes was “probably his career-best performance last start”. On his first start since his Group One The Everest (1,200m) success in...

18. Eileen Gu’s golden secret: ‘train like you’ve never won, compete like you’ve never lost’

    Eileen Gu kept her perfect record at the Genting Resort Secret Garden intact on Saturday, battling challenging conditions and some brief self-doubt to claim gold in the first Halfpipe World Cup of the 2025-26 season. The double Olympic gold medallist has never lost on the course that hosted the Beijing Games almost four years ago, and Gu laid down the kind of performance that had already earned her 18 World Cup titles heading into the weekend. Still, it needed an exceptional final run amid...

19. Dylan Browne McMonagle gears up for Hong Kong stint with Group One rides aboard Al Riffa and Galen

    Dylan Browne McMonagle will not be worrying about Romantic Warrior and will be riding his own race when Galen looks to upset the odds in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Irish champion jockey will begin a short-term contract in Hong Kong from January 1 but will get a sighter on Sunday when he rides Galen in the Cup and Al Riffa in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m). McMonagle has already got himself acquainted with his new surroundings and is expecting a...

20. James McDonald still in awe of Romantic Warrior: ‘I’ve never felt like he’s ever going to lose’

    James McDonald is still in awe of Romantic Warrior as he prepares to chase a record-extending fourth consecutive Group One Longines Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) on the champion galloper at Sha Tin on Sunday. The 10-time Group One hero and world’s highest-earning racehorse with HK$217.7 million in prize money heads into the city’s richest race off the back of a stunning return from injury, comfortably claiming the Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) last month. “It’s pretty remarkable to think what he’s...