THE RED LION / VOYAGE BUBBLE FINISH. IT WAS TOP TIER, HIGHLY COMPETITIVE RACING AT ITS FINEST

By Graham Potter | Sunday, April 27, 2025

Take jockeyship at its finest … include two finely tuned, top class runners straining every muscle in an intense chase to the line … and then throw in a modicum of intimidation, enough to warrant a protest, and you have the recipe for international racing at its very best.

That is exactly what the running of the Group 1 Champions Mile produced at Sha Tin on Sunday when Red Lion, with Hugh Bowman in the saddle, and Voyage Bubble, ridden by James McDonald literally went head-to-head in a punishing stride-for-stride battle down the length of home straight in which no quarter asked or given.

Bowman and Red Lion were magnificent in maintaining a supreme effort under extreme pressure after going to the front soon after the break. McDonald and Voyage Bubble were equally as committed, looming alongside Red Lion early in the straight after racing in second spot early.

In truth it was a race that neither party deserved to lose. Red Lion earned the verdict by a short-head margin. Voyage Bubble was in front half a stride past the post … and, as it turned out, to add more drama to the occasion, Red Lion had to win the twice … once in that cut-throat, two-way battle on the track and once in the stewards room after McDonald fired in a protest.

What a show it was … provided by Red Lion and Voyage Bubble, trainers John Size and P F Yui and Bowman and McDonald.

It was great theatre and a privilege to witness.

The relevant section of the steward’s report reads: ‘The Stewards deferred the declaration of weighed-in as they were of the view that an incident occurred over the concluding stages which cast doubt as to whether RED LION should be declared the winner. Subsequently J McDonald, the rider of VOYAGE BUBBLE, 2nd placegetter, lodged a protest/objection against RED LION being declared the winner alleging interference over the concluding stages. After considering the evidence the Stewards found that RED LION shifted out over the concluding stages, making slight contact with VOYAGE BUBBLE, however, they could not be comfortably satisfied that had the contact not have occurred that VOYAGE BUBBLE would have finished in advance of RED LION and therefore the protest/objection was overruled and weighed-in was declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge.