“He’s the best – forget the rest.”
So jockey James McDonald summed up Romantic Warrior after the luminary not only completed the first-ever hat trick in Sunday’s Hong Kong Cup (G1) at Sha Tin, but also broke Golden Sixty’s all-time earnings record. Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year pushed his bankroll past HK$177.3 million, well north of the $22 million threshold.
With a switch to dirt on the cards for the Feb. 22 Saudi Cup (G1) and potentially the April 5 Dubai World Cup (G1), Romantic Warrior is eligible to keep rewriting the record book. Owner Peter Lau and trainer Danny Shum have already dispatched him abroad to collect the 2023 Cox Plate (G1) in Australia and Japan’s Yasuda Kinen (G1) this past June, and the projected Mideast swing gives international racing fans even more to savor.
Romantic Warrior needs new worlds to conquer after dominating his Hong Kong circuit. Also a three-peater in the QEII Cup (G1), the Hong Kong Cup’s companion marquee event at about 1 1/4 miles in late April, the Irish-bred warmed up with a devastating performance in the Nov. 17 Jockey Club Cup (G2).
Bet down to 1-10 favoritism on Sunday, Romantic Warrior used his tactical speed to secure position from his rail draw. As Aidan O’Brien’s filly Wingspan and Japan’s Tastiera went forward, McDonald wisely got him off the fence into a stalking fourth in the clear. Tastiera was the first to pounce on Wingspan turning for home, but Romantic Warrior ambled up, and the race was over.
McDonald did not hesitate to look back at his vanquished opponents in jubilation. Second choice Liberty Island, a two-time champion in her native Japan, closed with interest without ever threatening the 1 1/2-length winner.
Tastiera was a clear third, followed by The Foxes, who edged Straight Arron for fourth. Next came Calif, Content, Spirit Dancer, Nimble Nimbus, Wingspan, and Encountered.
Romantic Warrior clocked 2:00.51 to extend his winning streak to seven and advance his career scorecard to 22-17-3-0. The son of Acclamation has never finished worse than fourth, his result in the 2022 Hong Kong Classic Cup and 2023 Turnbull (G1) in his Australian debut. His other major wins include the Hong Kong Derby, Hong Kong Classic Mile, and Feb. 25 Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1).
“That was unbelievable, I’m so proud of this horse,” McDonald said. “He’s just been remarkable, and it’s some effort by Danny (Shum, trainer) and his team.
“The Japanese (horses) put it to him but with no luck.
“He’s been flying, and anyone could ride him because he’s that easy, but I’m the lucky one. He’s the horse of a lifetime. This was our moment to create history and it felt like I was lining up for the winning kick for the All Blacks. It was a ‘pinch-me’ moment.”
McDonald was celebrating back-to-back Group 1s on the Hong Kong International Races program, after steering favored Voyage Bubble to victory in the Hong Kong Mile (G1).
Shum is looking forward to the dirt gambit for Romantic Warrior.
“He’s the best, but I have to take another bigger challenge to go to Dubai and Saudi Arabia, just because I haven’t been to Dubai for 25 years,” the horseman said.
“At that time, I was assistant trainer for Mr. Ivan Allan. I had a new experience. I will make sure the team that go there are in the best form.
“The owner, Mr. Peter Lau, said it’s a once-in-a-life chance to take the challenge in Saudi Arabia for the top prize-money in the world. We are experimenting with dirt, but I’ve tried him in an all-weather trial with a pacifier and he was quite good.”
Considering that Romantic Warrior is out of a mare by Street Cry, and that Sha Tin’s “all-weather” is really dirt, he has claims to act on the surface.
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