From starting his career as an apprentice jockey, stable hand and exercise rider, Danny Shum has risen to become the celebrated trainer of 2023/24 Horse of the Year, Romantic Warrior. Now he hopes to pass the torch to the next generation of local trainers, elevating the sport of racing to even greater heights.
It's all about understanding the individual needs of each horse, and then tailoring the approach. For example, when it comes to feeding, we slowly increase their portions until the horse leaves a little food behind, which tells us they’re full. If the horse finishes all its food, we offer a bit more. Since horses can’t tell us how they feel, we have to read their body language closely. We must be very attentive, as if we are caring for them like our own children. This attentiveness helps us intuitively understand what they need.
Each horse is different, and we must observe and learn what they need from their daily training sessions. Sometimes a horse that’s been trained a lot won’t perform as well, while one with less training might perform better because everything feels fresh to them. We’re always learning; even after more than 20 years in this industry, I still believe in the philosophy of lifelong learning to understand and assess each horse’s unique characteristics.
Romantic Warrior did not come with a particularly special bloodline, it was a pretty ordinary horse. But out of over 20 horses, this horse stood out to me every time I watched it. Each time he jumped, the way he landed was perfect, and his body balance was exceptional. I usually recommend two or three horses to Mr Peter Lau, as he also does his own research when selecting horses. But this time, I only recommended this one to him. When he asked me why, I told him that this horse had a certain elegance about it. Out of all the horses, this one kept drawing my attention and he was clearly the best.
Romantic Warrior’s achievements are incredible — winning the Cox Plate in Australia, two Hong Kong Cups, three straight QEII Cups, the Hong Kong Gold Cup, and finally the Yasuda Kinen. Winning five Group 1 races in three countries in a single season is something that’s never happened before. These victories are a big milestone for both the owner and I, and for the stable as well. Now, when I’m out, people often stop me and say, “Shing Gor, let’s take a photo!” For Hong Kong racing fans, it’s been very exciting — our horse broke through internationally and won in Japan. Anyone who follows racing knows how strong Japanese horses are, and it was not easy to defeat them.
I’ll probably retire soon, since I’m already 64. For those who will take over after me, I really hope they can embrace the importance of passing down knowledge. It’s crucial for our progress. If the Jockey Club hadn’t brought in top trainers over the years, we wouldn’t have advanced as much as we have. For example, last year at the international races, the first race was won by a French team, but the next three were won by our local Hong Kong trainers. In the past, it would’ve been hard to imagine that our local trainers could have achieved such good results. I hope the next generation of trainers will perform even better and surpass our achievements.
Of course, making a living is important, but honestly, I just love what I do. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t be setting my alarm for 2:45 AM every day and jumping right into work. Being a trainer comes with its fair share of challenges. You don’t always hear about the good things — you’re constantly dealing with tough situations, like when a horse gets injured, isn’t eating well, or has a fever. And after a race, if a horse doesn’t win, it is your job to figure out what went wrong. I believe in the saying, ‘you become like the people you surround yourself with’. If you stay positive and focused, your stable will reflect these qualities. But if you’re careless and things are always done poorly, the stable will quickly encounter problems and fall apart. If you keep doing things right every day, the stable will remain strong and resilient.
