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South China Morning Post
24-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Minor joint issue forces Jockey Club to cancel Romantic Warrior's welcome home ceremony
Romantic Warrior's special welcome home ceremony at Sha Tin on Sunday has been cancelled after scans revealed a minor issue with one of the champion galloper's joints. On the eve of the 'Welcome Home, Our Global Champion – Romantic Warrior' event, the Jockey Club said in a statement that the 10-time Group One winner would not be paraded in front of his legion of fans. 'The club's Veterinary Regulation, Welfare and Biosecurity Policy Department have provided advice on Romantic Warrior that the club wishes to share with his many fans,' the statement said. 'Romantic Warrior is currently spelling following his return from his races in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. The horse has returned to Hong Kong presenting extremely well and has not exhibited any signs of lameness or any other clinical issues. 'Nevertheless, consistent with the club's world-class procedures for the care of our racehorses, a detailed physical examination has been carried out, including imaging using our veterinary hospital's state-of-the-art equipment. 👀 Soul Rush denies Romantic Warrior in a thrilling Dubai Turf!#ソウルラッシュ | @RacingDubai — Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 5, 2025 'This proactive screening has enabled a very early detection of some potential changes in one of the horse's joints. As a consequence of this systematic approach to ensuring horse welfare, a management plan has been developed that will ensure that Romantic Warrior has an extremely good prognosis of such changes being fully addressed. 'Whilst Romantic Warrior would not face any risk from the planned ceremony to welcome his return to Hong Kong, the club nevertheless believes that the ceremony is not a priority and so it will not be held tomorrow.' Romantic Warrior returned home earlier this month after a busy Middle East campaign, which kicked off with a record-breaking win in the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) in Dubai in January. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Danny Shum Chap-shing's superstar then ran close seconds in the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on dirt and Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m), taking his career earnings to a world record-extending HK$214.7 million. He is not scheduled to race again until November's Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m).
South China Morning Post
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Romantic Warrior tired but healthy as he awaits Hong Kong return
Romantic Warrior, jockey James McDonald and trainer Danny Shum after being denied in the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m). Photos: Kenneth Chan Romantic Warrior has pulled up well from his shock defeat in Saturday night's Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) at Meydan, with the Danny Shum Chap-shing stable looking forward to getting their hero home for a well-earned rest. A hot favourite to add a Hong Kong record 11th Group One success to his glittering CV, Romantic Warrior had the measure of Japan's Soul Rush everywhere but the finish line in an epic contest decided by the tightest of photo finishes. 'The horse has pulled up fine. He is healthy. He will come back to Hong Kong and have a rest. It's been a long trip for him and we think he is a bit tired,' said Ben So Tik-hung, assistant trainer to Shum. After completing quarantine in Dubai, Romantic Warrior will return to Hong Kong later this month to recover from his arduous campaign in the Middle East. His next race is likely to come in November's Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m). While the world's highest-earning racehorse will have to wait for his 11th Group One success, his exploits in the Middle East have done more for his reputation than anything he could have achieved at home in the past few months. A sparkling winner of the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) at Meydan in January, Romantic Warrior had to settle for second to Forever Young in a Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) battle that seemed to prove telling for both gallopers come Dubai World Cup night. Feted by Hong Kong fans, Romantic Warrior has an ever-growing profile abroad and jockey Cristian Demuro spoke glowingly of Shum's charge after getting his measure aboard Soul Rush. 'It's as good a performance as he's ever produced, he beat the best horse in the world today,' said Demuro. 'It is a special win because we are now part of the Romantic Warrior story. He doesn't lose many races, but today he found a good horse.' Now boasting a record of 18 wins and five seconds from 25 starts, Romantic Warrior's second in the US$5 million (HK$39 million) Dubai Turf pushed his career earnings to HK$214,709,697. Romantic Warrior's next big target will be securing a record-extending fourth consecutive victory in December's Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), while there has already been chat that Shum and owner Peter Lau Pak-fai could give their champion another chance to master the Riyadh dirt in next year's Saudi Cup.
Gulf Insider
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
Dubai World Cup 2025: Hit Show Wins $12M Race, Plus All the Results From Meydan
Qatar's 'Hit Show' triumphed in the 2025 Dubai World Cup's main event at Meydan, the pinnacle of global horse racing. In the $12m Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup, Hit Show, owned by Wathnan Racing, ridden by Florent Geroux and trained by Brad Cox, prevailed over eight top competitors in 2.035 minutes, earning $6.96m with a 0.64-length victory. The American horse Mixto, owned by Calumet Farm, came in second place, ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori and trained by Doug O'Neill, and received a cash prize of $2.4m, while the Japanese horse Forever Young, owned by Susumu Fujita, came in third place, ridden by Ryusei Sakai and trained by Yoshito Yahagi, and collected $1.2m. The Saudi horse Walk of Stars, owned by Athbah Racing, came in fourth place Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Japan's Danon Decile was crowned champion of the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic race for purebred thoroughbreds of the first category. Ridden by Keita Tosaki, Danon Decile, owned by Danox Co. and trained by Shogo Yasuda, won the $6m Longines Dubai Sheema Classic over 2,410m, defeating eight other elite international horses. Danon Decile recorded a time of 2:27:05 minutes, to top the round and win the first-place prize of $3.48m. Dubai Turf Japan's Soul Rush, was crowned champion of the Dubai Turf race for purebred thoroughbreds of the first category. Under jockey Christian Demuro, Soul Rush, owned by Tatsue Ishikawa and trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, won the $5mDP World-sponsored Dubai Turf over 1,800 meters, defeating 10 other horses. Soul Rush covered the race distance in a time of 1:45:84 minutes, to top the round and win a cash prize of $2.9m. Dubai Golden Shaheen The Emirati horse Dark Saffron was crowned champion of the Golden Shaheen race for purebred thoroughbreds of the first category. Dark Saffron defied expectations, winning the race in 1:11:41 minutes and claiming the $1.16m purse, despite being the outsider. Owned by Sultan Ali, trained by Ahmed bin Harmash and ridden by jockey Connor Beasley, Dark Saffron managed to win the race, which extended for a distance of 1,200 meters on the dirt track, and whose total prize money reached two million dollars sponsored by Nakheel, with the participation of 12 horses. Al Quoz Sprint Ireland's Believing was crowned champion of the $1.5 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, run over a distance of 1,200 metres on turf. Trained by George Boughey and ridden by William Buick, Believing finished the race in 1:07:77 minutes to win a cash prize of $870,000. Godolphin Mile Raging Torrent eased to victory in the 1600-metre Godolphin Mile. Trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Frankie Dettori, the US horse competed 16 horses, finishing the race in 1:26:70 minutes to win first place and a cash prize of $580,000. Dubai Gold Cup Godolphin's Dubai Future won the $1m Gold Cup. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Silvestre De Sousa, Dubai Future outperformed 10 horses, finishing the 3,200-metre race in 3:21:50 minutes to win first place and a cash prize of $580,000. Dubai Kahayla Classic First Classs, ridden by Connor Beasley, won the $1m Kahayla Classic, a 2000-metre Group One dirt race. Trained by Doug Watson, First Classs competed 14 horses, finishing the race with a time of 2:12:65 minutes to win first place and a cash prize of $580,000.
Arabian Business
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Arabian Business
Dubai World Cup 2025: Hit Show wins $12m race, plus all the results from Meydan
Qatar's 'Hit Show' triumphed in the 2025 Dubai World Cup's main event at Meydan, the pinnacle of global horse racing. In the $12m Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup, Hit Show, owned by Wathnan Racing, ridden by Florent Geroux and trained by Brad Cox, prevailed over eight top competitors in 2.035 minutes, earning $6.96m with a 0.64-length victory. The American horse Mixto, owned by Calumet Farm, came in second place, ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori and trained by Doug O'Neill, and received a cash prize of $2.4m, while the Japanese horse Forever Young, owned by Susumu Fujita, came in third place, ridden by Ryusei Sakai and trained by Yoshito Yahagi, and collected $1.2m. The Saudi horse Walk of Stars, owned by Athbah Racing, came in fourth place. Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Japan's Danon Decile was crowned champion of the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic race for purebred thoroughbreds of the first category. Ridden by Keita Tosaki, Danon Decile, owned by Danox Co. and trained by Shogo Yasuda, won the $6m Longines Dubai Sheema Classic over 2,410m, defeating eight other elite international horses. Danon Decile recorded a time of 2:27:05 minutes, to top the round and win the first-place prize of $3.48m. Dubai Turf Japan's Soul Rush, was crowned champion of the Dubai Turf race for purebred thoroughbreds of the first category. Under jockey Christian Demuro, Soul Rush, owned by Tatsue Ishikawa and trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, won the $5mDP World-sponsored Dubai Turf over 1,800 meters, defeating 10 other horses. Soul Rush covered the race distance in a time of 1:45:84 minutes, to top the round and win a cash prize of $2.9m. Dubai Golden Shaheen The Emirati horse Dark Saffron was crowned champion of the Golden Shaheen race for purebred thoroughbreds of the first category. Dark Saffron defied expectations, winning the race in 1:11:41 minutes and claiming the $1.16m purse, despite being the outsider. Owned by Sultan Ali, trained by Ahmed bin Harmash and ridden by jockey Connor Beasley, Dark Saffron managed to win the race, which extended for a distance of 1,200 meters on the dirt track, and whose total prize money reached two million dollars sponsored by Nakheel, with the participation of 12 horses. Al Quoz Sprint Ireland's Believing was crowned champion of the $1.5 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, run over a distance of 1,200 metres on turf. Trained by George Boughey and ridden by William Buick, Believing finished the race in 1:07:77 minutes to win a cash prize of $870,000. Godolphin Mile Raging Torrent eased to victory in the 1600-metre Godolphin Mile. Trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Frankie Dettori, the US horse competed 16 horses, finishing the race in 1:26:70 minutes to win first place and a cash prize of $580,000. Dubai Gold Cup Godolphin's Dubai Future won the $1m Gold Cup. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Silvestre De Sousa, Dubai Future outperformed 10 horses, finishing the 3,200-metre race in 3:21:50 minutes to win first place and a cash prize of $580,000. Dubai Kahayla Classic First Classs, ridden by Connor Beasley, won the $1m Kahayla Classic, a 2000-metre Group One dirt race. Trained by Doug Watson, First Classs competed 14 horses, finishing the race with a time of 2:12:65 minutes to win first place and a cash prize of $580,000.
Khaleej Times
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Dubai World Cup: Demuro over the moon after Soul Rush's sensational Dubai Turf win
In one of the most dramatic finishes on Dubai World Cup night, Japan's Soul Rush delivered a seismic shock in the $5 million Dubai Turf (G1), mowing down Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior in the final strides to claim a famous victory at Meydan. Ridden with perfect timing by Italian ace Cristian Demuro, Soul Rush surged late to deny the Romantic Warrior, widely regarded as the world's premier turf horse with ten Group 1 victories across four countries: Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, and Dubai. "He beat the best horse in the world, he was so strong until the end, I am so happy," Demuro said. The seven-year-old son of Rulership was gaining revenge for a narrow defeat to Romantic Warrior in a Tokyo Group 1 last June to confirm his class on the international stage with a performance of guts and precision. Coming into the race, Romantic Warrior was the huge favourite despite enduring a tough campaign, including a taxing runner-up finish behind Forever Young in the $20 million Saudi Cup last month. Soul Rush, meanwhile, had quietly built an impressive resume, finishing second in the prestigious Hong Kong Mile in December and arriving in Dubai spot-on after a prep run in Japan. The victory marks the fifth time Japan has lifted the Dubai Turf trophy, joining the ranks of Admire Moon (2007), Just A Way (2014), Real Steel (2016), and Almond Eye (2019). For Demuro, the win was a second triumph at Meydan following the 2022 Dubai Sheema Classic - aboard Shahryar. While Romantic Warrior lost little in defeat, it was Soul Rush who stole the spotlight - and with it, one of the most coveted prizes on the Dubai World Cup night.
