Luke Ferraris will reunite with Invincible Ibis at Sha Tin on Sunday, more than a year after first riding the horse as a developing three year old. The 24 year old jockey now returns to the Derby winner at a very different stage of his career, with the gelding heading into the Group 3 Celebration Cup over 1,400 metres as one of the horses to watch this season.
Ferraris knows the horse better than most riders who have partnered him. He rode Invincible Ibis in his first two starts as a three year old and returned for his first appearance as a four year old. The ride later moved to Zac Purton, who guided the horse through a three race winning run before Hugh Bowman took over and produced the biggest result of his career by winning the Hong Kong Derby.
Bowman is currently sidelined with a hip injury, creating the opportunity for Ferraris to return to the saddle.
The timing could hardly be more interesting. Ferraris is getting back on a horse he remembers as smaller, weaker and less physically developed. Invincible Ibis now arrives as a Derby winner with expectations attached to him.
“From the times when I was sitting on him and he was a small, weakish horse, he's been maturing,” Ferraris said. “Now he seems to be furnishing and becoming the final product.”
A familiar horse with a different profile
Ferraris' first task will be to assess how much Invincible Ibis has changed since their earlier association.
The gelding has already shown that he can handle the pressure of major races. His Hong Kong Derby victory established him among the leading horses of his generation, while his subsequent performances have offered encouragement that the win was not an isolated achievement.
The Celebration Cup presents a different challenge. The 1,400 metre Group 3 contest comes at the beginning of the new campaign, meaning Invincible Ibis must perform at a high level without the benefit of a long sequence of races.
History also shows how difficult the task can be for recent Derby winners. Since 2010, only two Hong Kong Derby winners have returned to win the Celebration Cup at 1,400 metres in their first start of the following season. Ambitious Dragon achieved the feat in 2011, while Golden Sixty did so in 2020.
Ferraris immediately recalled Ambitious Dragon when discussing that history, but his memory went beyond the horse's success in the Celebration Cup.
He remembered the 2012 Champions & Chater Cup, when Liberator prevented Ambitious Dragon from completing the Triple Crown. Liberator was trained by Ferraris' father, David Ferraris.
That connection gives the jockey a personal link to one of Hong Kong racing's memorable periods.
Growing up beside Sha Tin
Ferraris' familiarity with elite Hong Kong racing did not begin when he became a professional jockey.
He grew up in an apartment complex next to Sha Tin Racecourse and spent his childhood watching some of the sport's biggest names from near the track. His father trained Vengeance Of Rain, while other champions including Viva Pataca, Ambitious Dragon and Beauty Generation competed during the years when Ferraris was developing as a rider.
Silent Witness was an exception because Ferraris was too young to remember much of the horse's career.
The experience of watching leading horses from childhood has given Ferraris an unusual perspective on his current position. He once watched champions race from outside the track. Now he competes against them.
“I've grown up watching great horses go around,” Ferraris said. “Dad had Vengeance Of Rain. Viva Pataca was around that time. Ambitious Dragon, Beauty Generation.”
He also mentioned the current generation, including Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising.
“And then obviously now you've got Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising,” he said. “So, yeah, it's been amazing to watch them growing up and then sort of be riding amongst them now.”
A possible route toward the Hong Kong Mile
The Celebration Cup is only the beginning of what could become an important stretch of the season for Invincible Ibis.
Trainer Mark Newnham has mapped out three runs for the horse before the December international meeting. The Hong Kong Mile is currently being considered as the main target.
Bowman's injury adds another layer of uncertainty to the arrangement. He has been absent since the opening meeting of the season because of his hip problem and is still considering surgery that could potentially keep him out for the remainder of the campaign.
If Bowman remains unavailable, Ferraris could have an extended opportunity with Invincible Ibis.
For the jockey, the horse's previous performances provide reasons for optimism.
Ferraris pointed to the gelding's run after the Derby, believed to have come in the Champions Mile, as evidence that he was capable of competing at a high level beyond his classic victory.
He also referred to the horse's international performance with James McDonald, describing it as particularly encouraging given the demanding preparation that preceded it.
Ferraris believes Invincible Ibis can continue improving as his body develops.
“Obviously doing it at Group level is a different kettle of fish, but his run after the Derby in, I think it was the Champions Mile, was really good,” he said.
“He's sort of had hints of that My Wish kind of progression about him. His last run with James McDonald in the international race was really encouraging, considering he'd had a fairly long and tough prep.”
Ferraris sees more distance in his future
While Invincible Ibis begins his season over 1,400 metres, Ferraris believes the horse's strongest distance could eventually be considerably longer.
The jockey has been waiting for the opportunity to see him stretch out since their early days together.
“When I was riding him over 1,200, I couldn't wait for him to go 1,400 and then obviously he got the Derby trip,” Ferraris said.
He now believes a mile or more could suit the gelding particularly well.
The horse's ability to handle 2,000 metres could become increasingly important if his connections pursue major middle distance races later in the campaign.
That progression also fits Ferraris' view that Invincible Ibis is still developing physically.
“In my opinion, he can only improve getting stronger, so he's definitely an exciting prospect,” he said.
Ferraris continues his own rise
The reunion comes at an important point in Ferraris' career as well.
He remains the youngest jockey on Hong Kong's roster, including apprentices, yet his record already contains achievements normally associated with more established riders.
Before moving to Hong Kong, Ferraris twice became South Africa's champion apprentice. He also won the South African Triple Crown aboard Malmoos.
In Hong Kong, he has recorded 167 winners and produced his best season in 2024 and 2025, when he rode 47 winners.
There is still one major achievement missing from his Hong Kong record. He has yet to win a Group 1 race in the city.
His previous campaign ended with 35 winners and eighth place in the jockeys' championship. The new season has started more quietly, with two victories from his first 21 rides.
A successful partnership with Invincible Ibis could therefore carry significance beyond a single Group 3 race.
Newnham satisfied after final gallop
Ferraris partnered Invincible Ibis in his final gallop before Sunday's race on Thursday, giving trainer Mark Newnham an opportunity to assess the horse's condition.
Newnham was pleased with the work.
“Really good,” the trainer said. “He settled behind Polar Patch and joined in the last 200m and finished it off strongly.”
The horse also recovered quickly after the workout.
“He pulled up well and had a nice blow and recovered quickly, so he's ready to run first up,” Newnham said.
That preparation now leads directly to Sha Tin, where Ferraris will once again sit aboard a horse he knew before the Derby transformed his profile.
For Invincible Ibis, the Celebration Cup will provide an early measure of whether he can build on his classic season and move toward the longer distance targets planned for the months ahead. For Ferraris, it offers a chance to revive a partnership that began when the horse was still developing and now resumes with a major victory already on his record.
Can Ferraris and Invincible Ibis turn their renewed partnership into another major Hong Kong racing success?