Romantic Warrior

Former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior carved out another slice of history for himself with a gallant win in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Acclamation gelding became only the third horse to sweep the Hong Kong Triple Crown after River Verdon (1993/94) and Voyage Bubble (2024/2025) in the process. The biggest question hovering over the eventual winner in the lead up to the race was the 2400-metre distance. Although Sunday was the 31st start of his career, Romantic...

It seems hard to believe now that the form of the Ballydoyle stable was being questioned prior to the 2,000 Guineas, before Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) acted as the pivot to a major upturn and sequence of wins in key races in early May. That he slammed Godolphin's genuine Group 1 performer Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) and the rest by upwards of eight lengths in that Newmarket Classic and still managed to be convincingly beaten is the remarkable story of this year's renewal and he gets the chance to excel in...

Hong Kong's Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising has raised his mark to 130, as the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings were released on Thursday. The son of Shamexpress won the G2 Sprint Cup and the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize recently and has won 20 consecutive races. He broke his own course record in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, prompting the increase of his mark from 128 to 130. Second on rankings is G1 Betfred 2000 Guineas hero Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) at 126, the equal of Daryz (Sea...

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...

You'd have to say the Ka Ying Rising camp is feeling fairly confident, if the reports coming out of Sha Tin are anything to go by two days out from FWD Champions Day. A winner of 19 straight starts, a record for a Hong Kong-trained horse, the son of Shamexpress is coming into the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize with everything in his favour. Not only is the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year aiming for a title defence in Sunday's 1200-metre contest, but connections feel he can get the...

Hong Kong Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) is one of the headline acts for FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 26. A total of HK78 million (€8,522,110) is on offer across the three Group 1 races--the FWD QEII Cup (2000m), FWD Champions Mile and the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m). Overall, there are 38 entries for the three races (excluding reserves), 13 of them winners at the highest table. A winner of the Chairman's Sprint Prize in 2025, the gelding is aiming for his second win...

Former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior tuned up for a start in April's G1 FWD QEII Cup on Thursday. The Danny Shum trainee impressed in a 1200-metre barrier trial on the dirt at Sha Tin. Already a winner of the QEII Cup in 2022, 2023, and 2024, he ran out a one-length victor over Red Lion (Belardo) in 1:10.70 with Hugh Bowman in the irons. Shum said, "I'm very happy; he's sound and he's happy. You can see by his trial, he's very good, and James [McDonald]...

Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) stands firmly on top of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, which were released on Thursday. Given a mark of 128, the Hong Kong Horse of the Year is four pounds clear of his Hong Kong compatriot Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) at 124. Ka Ying Rising has rattled off a record 18-straight wins for a Hong Kong-trained horse, taking the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup over Helios Express (Toronado) (117) earlier this year before his G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup win. Former Hong Kong Horse of the Year...

Turbulente was a prophetic winner at Chantilly on Friday considering the events that would transpire less than 24 hours later across the Middle East. The Wertheimer-bred daughter of Australia from the family of a horse whose greatest exploits came in Australia - Americain (Dynaformer) - looks one to follow as the French Classic trials come around.  Super Saturday went ahead in Dubai amid early rounds of missile strikes and interceptions across the region as American and Israeli troops struck Iran and the inevitable retaliation ensued. Sheikh Mohammed demonstrated his own...

Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) barely came out of second gear as he repeated his 2024 success in the HK$13-million Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday, emulating the likes of Viva Pataca (2008 and 2009), Designs On Rome (2015 and 2016) and Golden Sixty (2021 and 2023) as a dual winner of the Group 1 prize. Trained by Danny Shum, Romantic Warrior is also now just leg away from becoming only the third horse in history to complete the Hong Kong Triple Crown after this effortless win. Racing...

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong, post time: 3.35 p.m. CITI HONG KONG GOLD CUP-G1, HK$13,000,000, 3yo/up, 2000mT (PPs) Field: Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), Beauty Joy (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), My Wish (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}), Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid), Winning Wing (NZ) (Preferment {NZ}). TDN Analysis: At this time last year, Romantic Warrior was recovering from his narrow defeat in the G1 Saudi Cup and preparing for the G1 Dubai Turf, but he is back on home soil this time around looking for a...

Former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior clashes with Voyage Bubble in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. Second in the 2000-metre race in 2023, he went one better in 2024. In 2025, the popular gelding took his show on the road with a win in the G1 Jebel Hatta, before valiant seconds in the G1 Saudi Cup and G1 Dubai Turf. Since he returned to Hong Kong soil, he's been flawless, rattling off victories in the G2 Jockey Club Cup, G1...