Russian Emperor gets up in final strides to take Champions and Chater Cup

Russian Emperor caught odds-on favorite Romantic Warrior in the last two strides to win the $1.53 million Champions and Chater Cup, the final Group 1 of the Hong Kong racing season, for the second year in a row.

Romantic Warrior just failed to last 1 1/2 miles in his first try beyond 1 1/4 miles, leading from just after the start under his new rider, Zac Purton. Narrowly beaten earlier this year by Hong Kong’s best horse, Golden Sixty, going 1 1/4 miles, probably Romantic Warrior’s best trip, he was handed a neck defeat Sunday at Sha Tin by Hong Kong’s best 1 1/2-mile horse.

Purton was able to dictate pace around the first of two turns and for much of the backstretch run, but before hitting the second turn, Money Catcher began applying pressure and nagged at Romantic Warrior for the better part of three furlongs. Romantic Warrior put Money Catcher away in midstretch and opened a lead, but Russian Emperor was relentless under Hugh Bowman.

Trained by Douglas Whyte, Russian Emperor is a 6-year-old son of Galileo and Atlantic Jewel, by Fastnet Rock.

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