Romantic Warrior takes center stage at Sha Tin Racecourse Nov. 17 as Hong Kong’s best runners prep for the biggest day on the local calendar, the Dec. 8 Longines Hong Kong International Races.
Romantic Warrior, a 6-year-old Acclamation gelding, is bidding to eclipse records held by now-retired Golden Sixty after demonstrating his prowess during the 2023-24 season with top-level victories at home, in Australia, and in Japan.
He takes on 10 rivals in the Jockey Club Cup (G2) at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), the marquee race on the program with companion features at 1,600 meters (about one mile) and 1,200 meters (about six furlongs). Hong Kong Jockey Club officials and connections are monitoring the potential impact of recent heavy typhoon rain.
The Jockey Club Cup is the local audition for the Hong Kong Cup (G1) Dec. 8, a race Romantic Warrior has won in each of the last two years. A third score would boost Romantic Warrior’s earnings past Golden Sixty’s current record HK$167.17 million (about US$21.3 million) by the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s reckoning.
Romantic Warrior turned in a satisfactory work Nov. 4 with jockey Hugh Bowman reporting, “The eye doesn’t lie. He looks amazing and physically he’s very sound, fit-looking and mentally he’s the full package.”
Bowman will hand over the reins to James McDonald, current leader in the Longines World’s Best Jockey standings, who jets in from Australia after a successful run at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. McDonald has been aboard Romantic Warrior in seven group 1 wins so it’s little surprise he commented, “It’s always exciting to ride Romantic Warrior … It’s always exciting when his name is mentioned.”
Trainer Ricky Yiu sends Nimble Nimbus and Awesome Fluke against Romantic Warrior. Nimble Nimbus finished third behind Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) in February and the trainer said he is “a horse who can always give you a bit of a surprise.”
Beating Romantic Warrior would be more than “a bit” of a surprise.
Galaxy Patch, Voyage Bubble Meet Again in Jockey Club Mile
Trainer Pierre Ng looks for Galaxy Patch to continue his upward trajectory in the Jockey Club Mile (G2) as he points to the Hong Kong Mile (G1) in December.
The 5-year-old gelding finished the 2023-24 season with two straight wins and returned to win his first start in the new campaign by 1 1/2 lengths from Voyage Bubble. That foe returns, as does group 1 winner Beauty Eternal.
Ng, who leads the Hong Kong trainers’ standings, said Galaxy Patch has improved since that Oct. 13 season debut.
“Galaxy Patch is doing really well. He has improved from his last run. Hopefully the rain hasn’t affected the track that much,” Ng said. “This is another test for him against those two group 1 horses. We’re really looking forward to it as we build up towards the international race.”
Voyage Bubble, the 2023 Hong Kong Derby winner, won the Stewards’ Cup (G1) in January, then struck out in tilts in Dubai and Japan, finishing 13th in the Dubai Turf (G1T) and 17th in the Yasuda Kinen (G1).
After his runner-up showing in the October season opener, he repaired to the clean mountain air and green pastures of the HKJC’s Conghua training facility on the mainland where he stretched his legs in a barrier trial Nov. 5.
“All my horses love being at Conghua,” said Yiu, who conditions the son of Deep Field. “He’s full of beans.”
Voyage Bubble was a long-shot second to Golden Sixty in last year’s Hong Kong Mile.
Hong Kong’s leading rider, Zac Purton, partnered Beauty Eternal in a Nov. 7 trial.
“He trialed like he always does on the dirt,” Purton said. “It’s not his preferred surface but he did everything right. He got out of the gates good, he got into a nice rhythm and he’ll take some benefit out of it. He seems to be getting better every time.”
Ka Ying Rising Leads Jockey Club Sprint
After Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising, looks the most solid chance on the program as he takes on 11 rivals in the Jockey Club Sprint (G2).
The David Hayes-trained 4-year-old has jumped through the ranks of local sprinters and was last seen dominating the Premier Bowl Handicap (G2) in October, running 1,200 meters in 1:07.57—third-fastest ever on the Sha Tin turf.
Ka Ying Rising had no issues in winning a Nov. 8 barrier trial at Conghua and Hayes reported, “I’d say he’s as good as his last run.”
Chief rival California Spangle won the Al Quoz Sprint (G1T) in Dubai in March but was third, three lengths back of Ka Ying Rising, in the Premier Bowl. Lucky Sweynesse, the only Hong Kong-based sprinter rated higher than Ka Ying Rising (132 versus 127), is sidelined with an injury.
