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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
02-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Romantic Warrior ready to hit Dubai Turf ‘all guns blazing' after drawing gate nine
James McDonald confident the Hong Kong superstar is ready to produce another top performance at Meydan this Saturday James McDonald is confident Romantic Warrior is ready to produce another top performance in Saturday's Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) six weeks after his Herculean second in the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on dirt. The 10-time Group One winner, who returns to the Meydan course and distance of his track-record blitz in January's Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m), continues to thrive after more than three months in the Middle East. 'It seems like he's taken no side effects from Saudi, he's bounced out of it well – all guns blazing, really,' said New Zealander McDonald, who is missing two Group One meetings in Sydney to ride in Dubai. 'I don't think he's taken a backward step from Saudi so hopefully he runs well. 'He seems to love it here in Dubai – how can you not? It's a great place. He seems to be very happy, healthy and he's working well.' After taking a sit from gate one in the Jebel Hatta, trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing is confident Romantic Warrior again has options this weekend after landing gate nine at Wednesday morning's barrier draw at Meydan. 'Gate nine is not a problem. He's flexible. If he gets a fast pace, [McDonald] can give him a chance to settle. If the race is slow, he can sit close,' said Shum, adding that he was thrilled with his superstar's final piece of fast work on the Meydan turf on Tuesday morning. 'He's very fit at the moment so I talked with James McDonald and asked him to give him a happy, easy, smooth gallop on the turf and let him enjoy the work. Roll on the Dubai Turf! 💙 Romantic Warrior glides through his grass gallop with @mcacajamez ahead of Saturday's G1 in Dubai... 👏 📍 Meydan, 5 Apr | @RacingDubai — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 1, 2025 'James gave me a very positive report. He said the horse is very fit. He loves the horse. The horse loves it here and he is very happy here.' Romantic Warrior will have plenty of time to find a position down the long back straight in a race featuring reigning Dubai Turf champion Facteur Cheval, Godolphin's Nations Pride and a pair of Japanese gallopers who finished runner-up at December's Hong Kong International Races – Liberty Island and Soul Rush. 'This race is a stronger race than what he competed in in January here but he's very good,' said McDonald, who will also ride Howdeepisyourlove and Sword Point for Hong Kong on Saturday night. 'He's a horse that thrives on high pressure and obviously the tougher the races, the better he goes, as we've found out over the years. 'He'll be up for the challenge again. Obviously, it's a very competitive race with some very strong contenders and he'll have to be at his brilliant best. 'I think if he runs up to the Jebel Hatta run, he'll be very hard to beat.' Romantic Warrior is the red-hot Dubai Turf favourite in fixed-odds markets and Howdeepisyourlove is also proving popular in betting for the Group One Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) down the Meydan straight. Considered around a $3 chance, Howdeepisyourlove will look to land a second consecutive Al Quoz Sprint victory for Hong Kong after the success of California Spangle 12 months ago. 'It seems OK, he should be able to get a clear run from there,' said trainer John Size after Howdeepisyourlove joined Romantic Warrior in drawing gate nine. 'The horse gets back in the field a little bit and hopefully he's a late finisher and that should probably suit him. 'The horse is in pretty good shape and he's travelled well. He looks good and he's done his work properly. 'He continues to do well, so I think the race is coming up at the right time and it's a matter of circumstances on the day for these sort of events.' Hong Kong's final runner on Dubai World Cup night, the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Sword Point, will jump from gate two in the Group Two Godolphin Mile on the dirt.
South China Morning Post
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Romantic Warrior camp confident ahead of audacious dirt test in Saudi Cup
James McDonald and Danny Shum Chap-shing are optimistic Romantic Warrior will handle his first test on dirt as Hong Kong's champion galloper bids for another slice of history in the world's richest race, the US$20 million Saudi Cup (1,800m). Run at 1.40am Hong Kong time on Sunday morning, the Group One feature represents a new challenge for Romantic Warrior as he heads into unknown territory racing on a dirt track for the first time. Many greats of the turf have failed on dirt surfaces, but superstar jockey McDonald maintains full confidence in Romantic Warrior after riding the 10-time Group One victor in trackwork at King Abdulaziz Racecourse this week. 'He's worked on the dirt and obviously that's the big question mark and we won't know until race day,' McDonald said. 'I've got a feeling that he will be successful on the dirt. He's just a very good racehorse, so he'll adapt well. The main thing is that his well-being is spot on. He looks great and he feels great, so we can't do any more. 'I haven't ridden on too many dirt tracks so I can't really compare too many, but he seemed to handle it OK. It's a real powdery sort of track and the kickback was there but it wasn't coarse or anything.' The winner of a world record HK$179.66 million in prize money, Romantic Warrior is fresh from a four-and-a-half-length victory in track-record time in the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) in Dubai last start. The globetrotting galloper, who has also won Group Ones in Hong Kong, Australia and Japan, will be the city's first horse to race in Saudi Arabia. Shum has left no stone unturned in search of Saudi Cup glory, applying special 'grip shoes' designed to help Romantic Warrior handle the dirt while also enlisting the services of renowned Australian horse physio, Tom Simpson. 'It's a great opportunity to be here and run in the most valuable race in the world. It's a great honour for Hong Kong and my stable and we really appreciate it,' Shum said. 'You never know until you're past the winning post, but he's very fit and physically he's the best he's been in his career. 'I'm confident he'll handle the dirt, but I don't know whether he'll handle the kickback.' Shum was also pleased when Romantic Warrior drew barrier three in the 14-horse field. A 19th career victory at the weekend will elevate Romantic Warrior to a new level of greatness as Hong Kong's most successful Group One winner of all time. He currently shares that title with the retired Golden Sixty. Japan's Forever Young is expected to be his biggest threat despite drawing wide in barrier 14. He boasts an exceptional dirt record including wins in the Group One Tokyo Daishoten (2,000m) last start and last year's Group Three Saudi Derby (1,600m). The Saudi Cup is one of seven races at King Abdulaziz Racecourse to be simulcast by the Jockey Club. Five races from Caulfield, headlined by the Group One Futurity Stakes (1,400m), will also be beamed live for betting on Saturday.
South China Morning Post
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Slight change to Romantic Warrior's travel plans no concern ahead of Saudi Cup
Ten-time Group One winner flies to Riyadh three days later than originally scheduled in preparation for world's richest race by Jay Rooney on Thursday, February 6, 2025 1:36 PM Romantic Warrior wins the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) at Meydan on January 24. Photos: Alex Evers/HKJC A later arrival to Saudi Arabia than first planned won't hinder Danny Shum Chap-shing's plans for Romantic Warrior as the Hong Kong superstar prepares for his assault on the world's richest race. Shum had booked Romantic Warrior on a flight from Dubai on Friday, but the 10-time Group One winner will now make the short trip to Riyadh on Monday ahead of his next target, the US$20 million Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on February 22. 'He'll travel on the 10th, it was the only flight I could choose,' Shum said. 'He'll still be OK. I leave on the 8th to head across. The horse is going well.' Romantic Warrior added Group One glory in the United Arab Emirates to his glittering global CV with a record-breaking triumph in the Jebel Hatta (1,800m) at Meydan on January 24. However, the winner of a world record HK$179.66 million in prize money faces a new challenge when he races on the dirt for the first time in the Saudi Cup. Shum will consider applying a special pair of 'grip shoes', which are banned in Hong Kong, to help his stable star's transition to the dirt. 'I'll see how [Romantic Warrior's travelling companion] Romantic Charm goes in them in the morning on the 12th or 13th [of February] and then decide,' Shum said. 'I was not allowed to do it here in Hong Kong so I have to try them on Romantic Charm, I have got no option. Even in a 400m jumpout without any other horses, [the Jockey Club] said no.' Last year's Group One Dubai World Cup (2,000m) winner Laurel River, who was recently crowned the world's joint-best horse, French star Facteur Cheval and Japan's Forever Young will be among Romantic Warrior's rivals in the Saudi Cup. He will then finish his Middle Eastern campaign in either the Dubai World Cup or Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) in April. Before turning his focus to Romantic Warrior, Shum will bid to extend his lead in the trainers' championship with five runners at Sha Tin on Sunday. — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 26, 2025 The headline act is Gorgeous Win, who chases back-to-back victories when he contests the feature of the day, the Class One TVB Cup (1,200m). The consistent galloper broke through for his second success this term when he stormed home under Zac Purton to claim the Class Two Para Equestrian Handicap (1,200m) last start. In his first test at Class One level, Gorgeous Win clashes with Group Three winner Taj Dragon, the in-form Raging Blizzard, Copartner Prance, Group One placegetter Lucky With You, Magic Control, Son Pak Fu and Harmony N Blessed. 'It looks a hard race and it's hard to tell how he will go,' Shum said. 'But he's maintained his form.' With Purton set to ride Francis Lui Kin-wai's Copartner Prance, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu hops aboard Gorgeous Win for the first time. The son of Press Statement jumps from barrier two and drops six pounds on his last-start triumph to carry 123 on Sunday. Blazing Wind is another last-start winner for Shum bidding for consecutive wins, with the Deep Field gelding rising to Class Three level for the first time in Sunday's TVB Heroes In White Handicap (1,200m). Blazing Wind broke through for his first win at start eight when narrowly scoring under James McDonald at Sha Tin on January 19. He takes on stronger opposition headlined by Chris So Wai-yin's Hong Lok Golf, who is unbeaten from two starts, and Triumphant More, a winner at two of three starts for Frankie Lor Fu-chuen. Mr Justice, Allcash and Mr Vigor are the other Sha Tin starters for Shum, who leads the race for the trainers' title on 29 wins this season.
