Jaysella & Caroline’s Sunday Selections for 23rd November 2025

Jaysella & Caroline’s Sunday Selections from Sha Tin & Punchestown

Sha Tin

BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (Group 2) 07.40
Ka Ying Rising
There’s only one brilliant sprinter going to be winning this, and that is the world’s best, Ka Ying Rising. Drawn widest of all for this 6 furlong dash, Zac Purton has to decide between firing his global star out of the stalls to gain early track position, or dropping Ka Ying Rising into a pocket at the back of the field and using his absolute supremacy to make a late move coming out of the home turn. Now then, Helios Express is getting closer all the time to Ka Ying Rising, so a stall 3 draw makes me think Zac would sooner be as close to him as he can coming into the home straight, so I’m expecting a big push out of the gate. Either way, Ka Ying Rising lines up here after winning the world’s richest turf flat race, the Everest in Australia, and he ain’t stopping yet back on home soil.

BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (Group 2) 08.15
My Wish (nap)
My Wish has filled the huge void left when the brilliant Golden Sixty finally ended his dominance over the mile at the end of the 20 23 season. It was inevitable, and I was expecting Voyage Bubble to seamlessly move into that trip as Hong Kong’s number one, but he goes off in the 10 furlong Jockey Club Cup now, so the way is clear for My Wish to establish his dominance in this division. Johnny Size’s Red Lion won the FWD Champions Mile ahead of both Voyage Bubble and My Wish in April, but My Wish has found something extra this season and I can’t oppose him from a great draw in stall 4. My Wish to cement his spot as Hong Kong’s best miler since Golden Sixty, and, Yabba Dabba Doo, you heard it from me first!

BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (Group 2) 08.50
Romantic Warrior
Danny Shum’s Romantic Warrior was the best 10 furlong horse anywhere in the world, in my opinion, in 20 23 & 20 24. I’ll give you that Romantic Warrior is returning from injury, but he goes so well fresh that Voyage Bubble’s fitness edge from a recent run here in the Sha Tin Trophy can be negated, and although Danny Shum doesn’t think there’s any more improvement to come from his stable star, he’s only been beaten in his last eight races in the last two years by two very good Japanese horses in Arabia, form which has been well franked by one of those, Forever Young winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar three weeks back. Romantic Warrior to maintain his Hong Kong dominance at this 10 furlong trip over Voyage Bubble here on home soil.

Punchestown

Frontline Security Grabel Mares Hurdle (Listed) 1.17
Feet Of A Dancer
I’m thinking that Paul Nolan’s Feet Of A Dancer can be winning this, despite all the market support this week for Willie Mullins’ Fun Fun Fun. But chasing is going to be Fun Fun Fun’s game, so I’m pretty sure that this is just an early season workout, though I have to say that she does go well fresh and might confirm that favouritism. That all out of the way, Feet Of A Dancer ran in some pretty competitive hurdles last season, including a really good fourth in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival, so this is her dance and that’s my take on this. Feet Of A Dancer to waltz all the way home to some Black Type here!

Matchbook Betting Exchange Craddockstown Novice Chase (Grade 2) 2.27
Fleur In The Park
A tricky little one this I think, but Andrew Slattery’s Fleur In The Park was decent enough over hurdles and can make a better chaser. The drop back in trip the last day at Wexford seemed to be the right thing to do, so kept to this trip I’m thinking that Fleur In The Park can make it two from three over fences. Willie Mullins’ Westport Cove looks the danger, but I’ll keep faith with Fleur In The Park at this trip.

John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase (Grade 1) 3.00
Fact To File (nb)
I’ve been all over Fact To File since I saw him as a Novice Chaser in the 2023 season. It is uncommon for a horse that’s only run in Bumpers to go chasing straight away, but Willie Mullins had no doubt over Fact To File’s ability in this sphere, so last year’s John Durkan winner can defend the title in my book. Maybe the biggest surprise is the odds I have taken this week, though in Gaelic Warrior, Fastorslow and Inothewayurthinkin, Fact To File is up against some of the very best, as is fitting for this Grade One contest, but he needs soft ground, goes well fresh, gets all of that, and I cannot oppose him. Fact To File to confirm expectations and win the John Durkan.