Romantic Warrior once again wrote a new chapter in Hong Kong racing history, completing his Middle East campaign with one win and two runner-up finishes. Trained by Danny Shum, the outstanding galloper first struck on 25 January under James McDonald, producing a superb performance to land the G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) at Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse, breaking the course record for 1800 metres on turf in the process. He then delivered another phenomenal effort on 23 February in the Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia, where he narrowly missed out on first place to Japan’s Forever Young in the final 50 metres. On 5 April, he returned to Meydan for the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m), where he was thwarted by the barest possible margin by Japan’s Soul Rush in an epic edition of the race.
After three races in the Middle East, Romantic Warrior improved his record to 18 wins from 25 starts, equalling Golden Sixty’s record of 10 Group 1 wins.
Purchased by Peter Lau for HK$4.8 million at the 2021 Hong Kong International Sale, Romantic Warrior further extended his world record career earnings to HK$214.7 million following his three-race campaign in the Middle East.
McDonald, who also partnered the Acclamation gelding to wins in the 2023 G1 W. S. Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley and the G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) at Tokyo Racecourse as well as eight other elite victories, commented on his confidence in the champion racehorse.
“He jumps fast, he travels well and I never felt in doubt at all,” McDonald said after the G1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai.
“He adapts to anything. You could put him on a saucepan and he would run well – any pace, any distance would suit him fine.”
For 140 years, Hong Kong’s world-class racing has brought pride and joy to Hongkongers - not just on local racecourses, but also on the international stage through victories like this. This is what makes good possible in our beautiful city – then, now and always.
Original article by Leo Schlink in Dubai, Declan Schuster in Riyadh
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