Romantic Warrior notches fourth Hong Kong Cup triumph

On paper, Romantic Warrior could not lose Sunday's Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. And through the first mile of the 2,000-meter contest, Romantic Warrior travelled like a sure winner. Four gentle pops of jockey James McDonald’s crop later, and Romantic Warrior, already the only three-time Cup winner, had his fourth.

The only real drama came when a person, holding a sign asking for further official inquiry into a tragic Hong Kong apartment fire, ran onto the track during the race. With the protestor tackled, held down and out of harm’s way, the Cup went on to its inevitable conclusion, showcasing a 7-year-old gelding still ready, willing, and fully capable of performing at the highest level.

Probably McDonald need not have deployed his stick at all. Romantic Warrior had cruised to the lead without being asked after stalking the pace, going a couple lengths clear with a furlong remaining.

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, analysis, replays, and live streaming

The Japan-based Bellagio Opera, distant second choice in the wagering, emerged from the pack to make a run, but he never was catching Romantic Warrior, who bounded home 1 3/4 lengths best. Bellagio Opera had more than five lengths on the French mare Quisisana in third. Galen, who took the lead before the Cup’s backstretch run, finished fourth, followed by Rousham Park, Chancheng Glory and Straight Arron – far from the most dazzling group of horses in a Group 1, $5.14 million race.

Bellagio Opera has hit a high mark in Japan, but hadn’t started in months, Quisisana was a bottom-rung Group 1 mare in Europe. But who would want to send a truly top-class horse to Hong Kong, to tackle one of the world’s best racehorses on home turf? Maybe Romantic Warrior, as a late-season 7-year-old who had returned Nov. 23 from an injury layoff and the surgical insertion of a screw into his fetlock, seemed slightly more vulnerable than a year ago. Nah – he’s still the same great horse.

“I always say, we know he’s turning 8 really soon, but he doesn’t know he’s turning 8,” trainer Danny Shum said to Hong Kong Jockey Club publicity.

Racing over a course rated “good,” Romantic Warrior ($2.20) ran his last 400 meters in 22.42 and clocked 2:02.29, slower than his first three Cups and the slowest since this race’s 2012 renewal. Bred in Ireland, Romantic Warrior is by Acclamation out of Folk Melody, by Street Cry, and he ran his career mark to 27-20-5-0, his earnings now approaching a record $31 million.

Romantic Warrior races for owner Peter Lau Pak Fai, who has campaigned his superstar generously and ambitiously, winning Group 1 races in Japan, Australia, and Dubai. Shum said he awaits the owner’s final decision but expects Romantic Warrior to wind up back in Saudi Arabia, where in February he memorably came out on the wrong end of an epic duel with Forever Young in the $20 million Saudi Cup.

That’s a dirt race, of course, the richest race in the world, and all Forever Young did in November was win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. What kind of horse can take a 10 1/2-hour flight, Hong Kong to Riyadh, and run like that on his “second” racing surface? A four-time winner of the Hong Kong Cup, an all-timer of a racehorse – Romantic Warrior.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.