Romantic warrior | HKJC photo
From Alan Carasso
Reigning Horse of the Year in Hong Kong Romantic Warrior (Irish) (Acclamation {GB}), winner of five elite events in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan in 2023-2024, begins a promising season with Sunday's G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup over his favorite distance of 2000 meters at Sha Tin Racecourse.
A history-making winner of the G1 WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley just over a year ago, the Tattersalls October and Hong Kong International Sale graduate defended his Longines Hong Kong Cup title and added the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup and a third FWD QE II Cup before concluding the campaign with a stunning result at the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo.
“He is good and has prepared well. (Jockey) Hugh (Bowman) has ridden him in his trials and we've had very positive reports,” trainer Danny Shum said of the six-year-old, who faces a five-pound penalty. “Of course he’s not (100%). But to be sincere, his condition is much better than it was at the start of last season in Melbourne. The horse is content, the jockey is in top form and there isn’t a really powerful field, so I’m confident he can run a good race.”
Tentative plans call for Romantic Warrior to focus on dirt racing in early 2025, with the G1 Saudi Cup and G1 Dubai World Cup potentially on the dance card.
“We have a plan to send him to Dubai and Saudi Arabia, so I wanted to test him on Earth with the pacifiers and see if it helps,” Shum told the South China Morning Post. “Romantic Warrior is very special and the Saudi Cup is the most essential race for him. Maybe he can’t win, but if he finishes in the top four it would be a great achievement.”
Romantic Warrior is within shouting distance of the world record earnings of Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), and with this triple HOTY is enjoying retirement. Galaxy Patch (Off) (Wandjina {Aus}) is the heir to the throne in this division and should take all the hits in the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile.
Group 1 placed at the back California Spangle (Irish) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) over 1400 meters last March, he was spotted aggressively in the 2000 meter BMW Hong Kong Derby just two weeks later, narrowly missing with a behind schedule charge behind Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never ). Since struggling with the damp ground at the G1 FWD Champions Mile in April, he has scored three straight successes at the group level, including a 1 1/2-length loss to the class Travel Bubble (Off) (Deep Field {Off}) and Chancheng fame (Mor Spirit) in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap on October 13th.
The aforementioned California Spangle, winner of last year's G1 Al Quoz Sprint, will compete in the G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint on Sunday, where he will appear again Ka Ying Rising (Recent Zealand) (Shamexpress {NZ}). With seven goals out of nine in his career, the 4-year-old was a Group 3 winner at the end of last season and has picked up where he left off this season with an basic result on the first day of Class 1, followed by a sleek success at long odds in the G2 Premier Bowl Handicap on October 20th. His opponents stood behind him that day Helios Express (Off) (Toronado {Ire}) and California Spangle and it will take something unexpected to see him beaten on Sunday.
Fields, form and everything you need for Sunday's (November 17) 11-race fixture at Sha Tin, with a Group 2 triple-header. #HKIR #HKracing
Race card 👉 https://t.co/N0u0M9B2mC pic.twitter.com/p2ENpBZ1b8
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) November 15, 2024
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