Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior ticked off Japan on his international Grade 1 “to do” list with an authoritative score over top local milers in the Yasuda Kinen (G1) June 2 at Tokyo Racecourse.
The victory by the 6-year-old Acclamation gelding goes alongside his iconic score in the Cox Plate (G1) in October in Australia and six top-level victories at home. He now has five consecutive top-level wins in three jurisdictions.
It opens the door to even more global glory, should owner Peter Lau choose. The Yasuda Kinen was a “Win and You’re In” Challenge race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) in November at Del Mar and provided a guaranteed entry for the first three finishers for two top French mile races, the Prix Jacques le Marois (G1) and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1).
Romantic Warrior’s connections had been looking for some time for the right horse to challenge in Japan. Even though the 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) was short of his usual trip, they judged this the right set of circumstances and the horse and jockey James McDonald franked that decision.
McDonald kept Romantic Warrior nicely back of the pace while awaiting the uphill climb of the Tokyo Racecourse stretch. He had to let traffic clear as the ground leveled out at the 250 meters and then, with a quick burst of speed, Romantic Warrior was in front. Namur fell short by a half-length with her late run. Soul Rush was third, a nose farther back.
A steady rain did nothing to dampen McDonald’s emotional response to the victory.
“Once he hit the front with 200 meters to run, it was going to have to be a good horse to go past him because there’s not many who can go past him when he’s in full flight with a furlong to go,” McDonald said.
“He’s a proven champion. He’s won one of the toughest races in Australia in the Cox Plate, he’s won two Hong Kong Cups taking on strong opposition and now has come to Japan and won a mile race, a little bit shorter than his best distance,” the jockey added. “He always rises to the occasion and that’s the beauty of this horse. He’s got a heart of a lion and tremendous ability.”
While Romantic Warrior certainly has proved his affinity for international competition, trainer Danny Shum ruled out a swing at the Takarazuka Kinen (G1) June 23 at Kyoto Racecourse.
“I think the best thing for the horse is to give him a break and let him rest,” Shum said. “He’s not going to race any more this season,” Shum said, referring to the 2023-24 Hong Kong campaign, which is drawing to a close with onset of summer weather.
That could rule out the French races but could leave the door open to the Breeders’ Cup, which conveniently is slotted Nov. 2, just a month ahead of Hong Kong’s headline international race day in early December.
Romantic Warrior represents the epitome of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s program to introduce world-class competition to its limited horse population. He is a graduate of the Hong Kong International Sale, which brings young horses from across the globe for the consideration of local owners and, as a 4-year-old, won the Hong Kong Derby—the top bragging rights prize on the calendar.
Out of the Street Cry mare Folk Melody, he was bred by Corduff Stud and T.J. Rooney. The HKJC secured him for 300,000 Guineas (slightly more than £300,000 or about US$380,000) at the 2019 Tattersalls Yearling Sale and turned him around to Lau at its sale for HK$4.8 million (about US$614,000).
The victory upped his record to 15 wins and three seconds from 20 career starts. The HKJC reckons his earnings at HK$151 million (about US$19.3 million), second only among Hong Kong horses to Golden Sixty, who has earned HK$167 million (about US$21.36 million).
The second- and third-place finishers in the Yasuda Kinen also have further global potential.
Namur’s late run was an encouraging bounce back from her eighth-place finish in the Victoria Mile (G1) May 12. Before that, the 5-year-old Harbinger mare finished second in the Dubai Turf (G1T) in March and third in December’s Hong Kong Mile (G1), behind Golden Sixty.
Soul Rush, a 6-year-old by Rulership , was second to Namur in the 2023 Mile Championship (G1) at Kyoto Racecourse and fourth in the Hong Kong Mile.
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