Despite facing what trainer Danny Shum described as the strongest field to go to post for the G1 FWD QEII Cup “for 15 or 20 years”, it was a case of business as usual at Sha Tin on Sunday as Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) saw off a formidable international challenge to register a record-extending fourth success in the HK$30-million showpiece on FWD Champions Day.
Racing in a clear fourth as last month's Hong Kong Derby second Numbers (Tivaci) led the eight-strong field to the home turn, the strong-travelling Romantic Warrior soon took dead aim charting a path a few horses off the rail under regular rider James McDonald, who had a typically willing partner when moving into the drive position with less than two furlongs to run.
From there the 2022, 2023 and 2024 winner moved into what is now familiar territory at his beloved Sha Tin, swiftly establishing a decisive advantage that he was never in danger of relinquishing. Japanese champion Masquerade Ball (Duramente), making his first appearance on a racecourse since losing out on the nod to Calandagan (Gleneagles) in November's G1 Japan Cup, stuck to his task admirably to lead the chasing pack, but he was still a length behind the redoubtable Romantic Warrior at the line.
Andre Fabre's Sosie (Sea The Stars), the winner of this track's G1 Hong Kong Vase in December, joined Masquerade Ball in delivering a strong run from the rear of the field, ultimately finishing another half-a-length behind that rival in third, with the Karl Burke-trained Royal Champion (Shamardal) rounding out a truly international finish in fourth.
“It was touted to be his toughest test,” McDonald said of Romantic Warrior's 30th career start, with his previous 29 outings having already yielded 22 victories, including 13 at Group 1 level in four different countries. This 14th top-level success also boosted his world-record earnings to HK$271.46 million (€29.6 million).
“It's just an honour to be riding a horse like him,” McDonald added. “It makes a jockey's life so easy. He makes things happen which other horses don't and that's why he has got the record that he has got. He is just bulletproof, really. Over this 10-furlong [distance], he just starts well, puts himself in a good spot, rests when he has to rest and then shows an incredible turn of foot.
“I thought the opposition today was very warranted and had great respect for it. I was actually quite worried about it with that Masquerade Ball. He is one of the best in Japan and his run in the Japan Cup was nothing short of incredible. We had great respect for him today and, if he was ever going to get beaten, it was a horse like that.
“He [Romantic Warrior] feels enormous. I take my hat off to Danny and his team and they are just simply incredible. It's probably the best he has ever looked. It's a dream come true and he is a dream come true – I pinch myself every time I hop on him.”
Shum confirmed afterwards that the HK$13-million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday, May 24 was Romantic Warrior's next objective. Victory there would see him complete the Triple Crown – following victories in the G1 Stewards' Cup and G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup – and earn a HK$10-million bonus for owner Peter Lau.
“I have to speak to Peter [about the Triple Crown], but why not?” said Shum. “There's a HK$10-million bonus and Voyage Bubble did it, so hopefully Romantic Warrior can do it, too.
“I'm thankful I have Romantic Warrior and Romantic Warrior is also thankful for me. My team has done a lot of hard work with him. He's been in good form this season – it (2,000 metres) is his best distance in Hong Kong. I was quite confident he could win this.
“I don't tell him he's eight years old, I always keep telling him he's five only – that is a joke, but he races very easily and he's very good. He's a super, super champion.”
Christophe Lemaire and Maxime Guyon, the riders of Masquerade Ball and Sosie, respectively, both expressed their satisfaction with the way their mounts had performed, whilst looking forward to the rest of the campaign with this first run of the year under their belts.
“The pace wasn't that strong, but he showed a great turn of foot in the last 200 to 300 metres. I think he'll keep improving going forward,” Lemaire said of last year's G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) winner, while Guyon is optimistic that Sosie can add to his four career wins at the top level in the coming months.
He added, “We had a perfect race, just the two horses in front of me were really good. He can improve after this run and he can win a Group 1 this year again.”
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
FWD QEII CUP-G1, HK$30,000,000 (£2,837,100/€3,276,000/US$3,831,000), Sha Tin, 4-26, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:00.64, gd/fm.
1–ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE), 126, g, 8, by Acclamation (GB)
1st Dam: Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling
(300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA '21 HKIS). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & T J Rooney; T-Danny C S Shum; J-James McDonald; HK$16,800,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year, Ch. 4yo & 4x Ch. Middle Distance Horse-HK, G1SW-Aus, Jpn & UAE, G1SP-KSA, 30-23-5-0, $34,568,947. *1/2 to End of Romance (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), SP-US. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Masquerade Ball (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Duramente (Jpn)–Mask Off (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn). O-Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd; B-Shadai Farm; T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Christophe Lemaire; HK$6,300,000.
3–Sosie (Ire), 126, h, 5, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Sosia (Ger), by Shamardal. O/B-Wertheimer et Frere; T-Andre Fabre; J-Maxime Guyon; HK$3,450,000.
Margins: 1, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 3-10, 23-5, 36-5.
Also Ran: Royal Champion (Ire), Giovanni (Jpn), Rubylot (Aus), Numbers (Aus), June Take (Jpn). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.
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