Latest news with #GroupOneDubaiTurf
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.
South China Morning Post
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Romantic Warrior falls agonisingly short in Dubai Turf: ‘he ran his heart out'
Romantic Warrior (inside) and Soul Rush battle it out in the final stages of Saturday night's Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m). Photo: Kenneth Chan Hong Kong superstar goes down to Japan's Soul Rush by the narrowest of margins at Meydan Romantic Warrior suffered the most agonising defeat of his extraordinary career at Meydan on Saturday night, going down to Soul Rush by the narrowest of margins in the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m). Trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing and jockey James McDonald were visibly shattered after the defeat was confirmed following an excruciating wait for the result of the photo. 'He's had a long campaign. He ran his heart out,' was all McDonald could manage as he came to terms with the shock loss. A red-hot favourite to snare his 11th Group One success, Romantic Warrior jumped beautifully and travelled sweetly outside leader Meisho Tabaru. Oh, my .... 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 dramatically lowers the colours of 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑 in the @DPWorldUAE Dubai Turf! 🇯🇵#DWC25 | @emirates — Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) April 5, 2025 Urged to the lead at the 350m, Romantic Warrior looked to have Soul Rush's measure for much of the home straight but the Japanese galloper found enough to get his nostril in front when it mattered. The loss brings to an end Romantic Warrior's arduous Middle Eastern mission, which began with an electric victory in the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) at Meydan in January. The seven-year-old then produced a heroic second behind Forever Young in a Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) for the ages – an effort which must surely have had some impact on the champion galloper and makes his Dubai Turf effort even more admirable. Saturday night's runner-up effort pushes Romantic Warrior's already world-record earnings past HK$214 million and the galloper will now be given a rest until next season. The win of Soul Rush was part of a big Dubai World Cup night for Japan, with Admire Daytona (Group Two UAE Derby) and Danon Decile (Group One Dubai Sheema Classic) also prevailing.
South China Morning Post
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Record-breaking Romantic Warrior primed and ready to make more history at Meydan
It feels like he's done it all, but Hong Kong hero Romantic Warrior is primed and ready to make more history at Meydan on Saturday night. A red-hot favourite to become the city's first winner of the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m), Romantic Warrior can secure a Hong Kong record 11th elite-level success in the US$5 million (HK$39 million) contest, breaking his deadlock with the great Golden Sixty. Victory for Hong Kong's most decorated galloper would see him snare a fourth Group One triumph abroad and add around HK$22.5 million to his current world record HK$206,931,497 in career stakes. Ready to turn up the heat on Danny Shum Chap-shing's Romantic Warrior are not only reigning Dubai Turf champion Facteur Cheval, Godolphin's Nations Pride and star Japanese pair Soul Rush and Liberty Island, but also the scorching Dubai weather, with Saturday's meeting delayed an hour due to high temperatures. 'Obviously he copes with [the heat] pretty well, so that's no concern,' said jockey James McDonald. 'He certainly enjoys the firm surface we're likely to get on the hot day and he copes with everything pretty well. He's got round this track beautifully,' added McDonald in reference to Romantic Warrior's Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) victory in track-record time at Meydan in January. Since that Jebel Hatta blitz, Romantic Warrior produced one of the biggest efforts of his career when a heartbreaking second in the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on the dirt – something connections are confident he's fully recovered from. 'It's like he knows when the race is coming up – he's really sparked up since James jumped on his back for his turf gallop on Tuesday,' said equine physiotherapist Tom Simpson, who has worked with Romantic Warrior for much of his remarkable journey. Elsewhere on Dubai World Cup night, John Size will chase his first winner overseas at his 14th attempt when Howdeepisyourlove lines up in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) down the Meydan straight. Also to be ridden by McDonald, Howdeepisyourlove is a $3.2 favourite in fixed-odds markets and will look to join Joy And Fun (2010), Amber Sky (2014) and California Spangle (2024) as Hong Kong-trained winners of the race. 'I would love to win a race overseas. We just keep trying,' said 12-time Hong Kong champion trainer Size. Rounding out Hong Kong's Meydan assault is the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Sword Point, who tackles the Group Two Godolphin Mile on the dirt. Like Size, Lor is hoping to taste success overseas for the first time and he is confident his all-weather specialist is ready to produce his best on the world stage. 'It's a great sign that he hasn't turned a hair since arriving even though this is his first time travelling to race overseas,' said Lor of Sword Point, who also has the services of star Kiwi McDonald. 'Some horses might be scared and some horses don't eat up well but he's doing well in every aspect. 'If he wins, it would be the best result. I think for every trainer sending a horse to race overseas, they would want to win, doing Hong Kong proud.' Elsewhere on a bumper World Cup card, the horse who humbled Romantic Warrior in the Saudi Cup – Forever Young – is a short favourite for the US$12 million Group One Dubai World Cup (2,000m) on dirt, while the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic (2,410m) is brimming with stars. Reigning Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) victor Rebel's Romance is among the leading hopes, but he is sure to face stiff competition from December's Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) champion Giavellotto and the likes of Calandagan, Shin Emperor and Danon Decile. The Jockey Club will simulcast seven races from Meydan on Saturday night, while during the day six races will be offered for betting from Randwick in Sydney, where Hong Kong-based jockeys Zac Purton, Hugh Bowman and Andrea Atzeni will chase Group One glory.
South China Morning Post
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Romantic Warrior narrowly beaten in epic Saudi Cup finish
Hong Kong's champion galloper almost claimed the world's richest race on his dirt debut, but was denied by Japan's Forever Young by Jay Rooney on Sunday, February 23, 2025 8:11 AM Forever Young narrowly denies Romantic Warrior (inside) in a pulsating finish to the 2025 Saudi Cup. Photo: Alex Evers/HKJC Champion Hong Kong galloper Romantic Warrior fell narrowly short of conquering the world's richest race when a close second to Forever Young in the US$20 million Saudi Cup (1,800m) in the early hours of Sunday morning Hong Kong time. After sweeping to the lead on the turn, Romantic Warrior appeared set to claim an 11th Group One on his dirt debut, but Japanese dirt star Forever Young rallied to get the better of Danny Shum Chap-shing's superstar in an epic finish. 'We all did our best,' Shum said. 'I hope to win every time, but racing is racing. As long as he tries his best and it's a really good race – I think most of the people enjoyed the race. 'It's a good run for his first time on the dirt, only beaten by Forever Young. He is a top dirt horse, and he was only beaten by a head – it's a good run.' — Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 22, 2025 Jockey James McDonald was proud of Romantic Warrior's fighting performance. 'He was gallant in defeat. We had a great pitch in behind and he got a little bit of kickback, so I thought I'll get him into clear air and he made ground just beautifully,' the Kiwi said. 'He went through his paces really nicely all the way to the line and I can safely say I wasn't stopping. I did not alter my stride pace at all. 'Of course, I'm gutted he got beaten tonight but he went down on his sword that's for sure and made one hell of a race out of it.' Shum confirmed Romantic Warrior's next target will be the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) on the Meydan turf in April.
