The 6-year-old joins Vengeance of Rain (NZ) and Designs on Rome (Ire) as the only horses since 2000 to win the Derby, Gold Cup, G1 FWD QE II Cup and G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.

It was anything but easy.

Making his first start since edging Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) for his second consecutive Hong Kong Cup some 77 days ago, Romantic Warrior was done no favors by Thursday's draw, leaving James McDonald to work some magic from the 11 hole with a short run to the first corner.

He was alertly away and the Kiwi, who famously rode him to victory in last year's G1 Cox Plate, immediately had a look to his left to see where he might be able to slot in. When Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}) rolled forward, McDonald was able to secure some cover three wide from the second flight and by the time they made the backstretch run, Romantic Warrior had eased past Voyage Bubble and into a perfect spot from third, with Sword Point (Aus) (American Pharoah) at the head of affairs.

McDonald committed to an inside run around the second turn, while Zac Purton had Voyage Bubble on the back of Senor Toba (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}), ready to peel out to deliver his challenge when asked. Romantic Warrior was asked to take the gap between Money Catcher and Sword Point in upper stretch and did so willingly, but Voyage Bubble was right there and the stage was set for a thrilling climax. More or less stride for stride at the 200-metres, neither was willing to give an inch, but Romantic Warrior proved slightly tougher in the run to the wire. Nimble Nimbus (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) came from worse than midfield to snag third. McDonald has ridden Romantic Warrior in eight starts for seven wins, the only blemish a first-up fourth when prepping for the Cox Plate in the G1 Turnbull S. last October.

“He's the horse that does it all,” said McDonald. “He makes you look good all the time. His tenacity (and) will to win is phenomenal. I suppose instincts kicked in and (I) went with the flow. When you ride such good horses, you can do what you want to do and even if I made a little mistake during the race, he is probably good enough to overcome it and that was probably my mindset.

“I was mindful obviously that (Voyage Bubble) was having his second time at the 2000m and he (Purton) committed early – so it was a really good ride,” McDonald added. “My thinking was that I was going to be stronger late, so I just let him (Romantic Warrior) build through his gears under his own steam and he got there really easily.”

Trainer Danny Shum will now prepare Romantic Warrior for a three-peat attempt in the QE II Cup Apr. 28, with a trip to Japan for the G1 Yasuda Kinen looming an increasingly likely option. Voyage Bubble holds an entry for the G1 Dubai Turf Mar. 30 and could take up that engagement.

Pedigree Notes:

Romantic Warrior, a 300,000gns Tattersalls October grad and the most successful horse to emerge from the Hong Kong International Sale, is one of three winners from four to the races for his dam, a daughter of the English listed-winning and Group 3-placed, G2 Prix Jean Romanet and GI E. P. Taylor S. winner Folk Opera, who was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock carrying to Exceed and Excel (Aus) for €82,000 at the 2016 Goffs November Sale. The in-utero purchase, named Melodic Charm (Ire), was sold for 85,000gns at the 2018 Tattersalls October Sale and was a two-time winner at the races for Saeed Manana and James Tate before clearly benefitting from the success of Romantic Warrior when selling to the China Horse Club for 270,000gns in foal to Dark Angel (Ire) at last year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

Folk Melody is also the dam of the 3-year-old colt Operation Gimcrack (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and a yearling colt by the same stallion that was bought back for 110,000gns at last year's Tattersalls October Sale. Folk Star (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}), a David Simcock-trained half-sister to Folk Melody who won her maiden at Kempton Nov. 6 and was a narrowly beaten second in a Lingfield handicap Nov. 25, was knocked down to Kildaragh Stud for 37,000gns at the 2023 Tattersalls December Sale. Folk Melody is additionally the dam of a weanling colt by New Bay (GB) and the granddam of Spielman (GB) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), a maiden winner at Pau for Jean-Claude Rouget Feb. 4.

“J-Mac! J-Mac! J-Mac!” #TripleCrown | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/aAVzKeKlrd

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 25, 2024

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CITI HONG KONG GOLD CUP-G1, HK$13,000,000, Sha Tin, 2-25, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:00.31, gd.
1–ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE), 126, g, 6, by Acclamation (GB)
1st Dam: Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling
(300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA '21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-T J Rooney & Corduff Stud; T-Danny Shum; J-James McDonald; HK$7,280,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 4yo, 2x. Ch. Middle Distance Horse-HK, G1SW-Aus, 18-13-3-0, HK$127,076,084. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Voyage Bubble (Aus), 126, g, 5, Deep Field (Aus)–Raheights (Aus), by Rahy. (A$380,000 Ylg '20 INGFEB). O-Sunshine And Moonlight Syndicate; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-Ricky Yiu; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,730,000.
3–Nimble Nimbus (NZ), 126, g, 6, Sacred Falls (NZ)–Marahau (NZ), by Pins (Aus). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. (NZ$100,000 Ylg '19 NZBJAN). O-Jason Chan Kam Kwan; B-Waikato Stud Ltd; T-Ricky Yiu; J-Andrea Atzeni; HK$1,495,000.
Margins: NK, 3, 3/4. Odds: 65-100, 3-1, 23-1.
Also Ran: Straight Arron (Aus), Five G Patch (Ire), Beauty Joy (Aus), Encountered (Ire), Senor Toba (Aus), Sword Point (Aus), Champion Dragon (Ire), Money Catcher (NZ). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing.

The post Romantic Warrior Strikes ‘Gold’ In Epic Clash Of Derby Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

It has been a carefully managed season thus far for Romantic Warrior, who likely was in need of the run when fourth in the G1 Turnbull S. in Melbourne before just prevailing in the G1 Cox Plate three weeks later. Despite a six-week turnaround and a period of quarantine once returning from Australia, Romantic Warrior outlasted the nails-tough Luxembourg (Ire) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 10.

A victory Sunday would complete the set of Hong Kong features over the mile and a quarter, which also includes the 2022 BMW Hong Kong Derby and last year's G1 FWD QE II Cup. He would join the likes of Vengeance of Rain (NZ) and Designs On Rome (Ire) should he do so.

“He's very good. He's happy, healthy and in good form. Hugh Bowman gave a very positive report to me,” said trainer Danny Shum following a Tuesday gallop on the grass. James McDonald will be in from Australia for the ride.

The Kiwi was aboard Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) when he registered a maiden Group 1 success in the Stewards' Cup going a mile Jan. 21 and stretches back out to 10 furlongs for the first time since causing a 45-1 upset in last year's Hong Kong Derby. A good performance could lead to an appearance in the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) at Meydan in five weeks' time.

Straight Arron (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) took advantage of Romantic Warrior's absence to defeat Sword Point (Aus) (American Pharoah) in the G2 Jockey Club Cup in November and was a troubled fourth, beaten under a length, in the Hong Kong Cup. The 5-year-old returns to level weights after carrying 135 pounds to a third-place effort behind Nimble Nimbus (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and Five G Patch (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G3 Centenary Vase H. Feb. 4.

The post Romantic Warrior Front and Centre In Hong Kong Gold Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Having defeated the champion sprinter in the traditional opening-day Class 1 feature over Sunday's course and distance back in September–a race run at a snail's pace in wet conditions–Victor the Winner was an on-pace fourth in December's Group 1 contest and was exiting a seventh to Whizz Kid (Aus) (Shalaa {Ire}) in Group 3 company up the 1000-metre straight Jan. 7.

Accordingly sent off at rough odds Sunday, Victor the Winner nearly beat the gate and was immediately in front and was able to run leisurely sections in the lead, going the first 400 metres in :24.30 (standard :23.50) with Whizz Kid doing the chasing and Lucky Sweynesse buried back in the latter third of the field. Still traveling supremely easily on the turn, Victor the Winner got the opening 800 metres in :47.25 (standard :45.80), meaning he had plenty left when the real running started and he was never in any sort of danger in the run to the line. Hong Kong Sprint runner-up Lucky With You (Aus) (Artie Schiller) earned another top-level placing in second, while former champion Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) acquitted himself well in third. Despite a final sectional clocking of a race-fastest :21.98, Lucky Sweynesse could do no better than sixth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths.

“It feels great. Thank you for the opportunity from the owner and the trainer,” said homegrown rider Derek Leung, annexing his first Group 1 since guiding Beauty Generation (NZ) in the 2017 Hong Kong Mile. “We drew an outside gate, but we flew out of the gate, so (we) took advantage and just went forward–he was quite relaxed after that and at the 500m, I knew he was going to kick very strong. Very lucky, it was a win.”

Winning trainer Danny Shum, who sent Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) to Australia to land the G1 Cox Plate last October, has a potential overseas target in mind for Victor the Winner, namely the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Mar. 24.

“I entered him in Japan over 1200m, so I will see how he pulls up and then decide if I keep him in Hong Kong or send him to Japan in March,” Shum said. “I've considered Japan for a long time, because it's a left-hand turn. In the morning, his left-hand turn is better than his right-hand turn, so we have to give him a chance overseas.”

Of the beaten favourite, Purton told South China Morning Post: “He just couldn't get going early and that's his Achilles' heel. Some days he just can't show any gate speed, which was the case today. Once all the horses got their spot, they just slammed on the brakes and he was back in a bad spot. There is not much you can do about it.”

Super effort, Derek Leung!

That's a first Group 1 since Beauty Generation's 2017 @LONGINES Hong Kong Mile triumph… #SpeedSeries | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/b1W7Rlrwe8

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 28, 2024

Pedigree Notes:

Victor the Winner is the 35th stakes winner and 13th group/graded winner for Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado, now the sire of five elite-level scorers worldwide.

Swettenham purchased the stakes-placed Noetic for A$100,000 from the Patinack Farm dispersal in September 2013 and the mare produced her first foal for Adam Sangster about a month later. A half-sister to the dual stakes-placed Starlight Lady (Aus) (Fantastic Light), Noetic is the dam of three winners from five to the races and her most recent produce is a yearling filly by Swettenham's I Am Immortal (Aus), who was purchased for A$5,500 in utero from the 2022 Inglis June Online Sale. The filly was s bought back on a bid of A$150,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale last June.

Victor the Winner's fourth dam, Big Dreams (Great Above), produced two-time American champion sprinter Housebuster (Mt. Livermore) and the family also includes Nutella Fella (Runhappy), winner in the US of the 2023 GI Hopeful S.

According to the Australian Stud Book, Noetic passed away Mar. 2, 2023.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CENTENARY SPRINT CUP-G1, HK$13,000,000, Sha Tin, 1-28, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:09.43, gd.
1–VICTOR THE WINNER (AUS), 126, g, 5, by Toronado (Ire)
1st Dam: Noetic (Aus) (SP-Aus), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Dancing Starlight, by Atticus
3rd Dam: Night and Dreams, by Fappiano
1ST STAKES WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$180,000 Ylg '20 INGMAR). O-Chu Yun Lau; B-Adam Sangster (Vic); T-Danny Shum; J-Derek Leung; HK$7,280,000. Lifetime Record: 14-7-2-0, HK$19,744,025. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lucky With You (Aus), 126, g, 6, Artie Schiller–Heredera (Aus), by Northern Meteor (Aus). (A$130,000 Ylg '19 INGMAR). O-Vincent Leung Man Him; B-Emirates Park Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Frankie Lor; J-Andrea Atzeni; HK$2,730,000.
3–Wellington (Aus), 126, g, 7, All Too Hard (Aus)–Mihiri (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$70,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Cheng Wing On & Jeffrey Cheng Man Cheong; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann (NSW); T-Jamie Richards; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$1,495,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 37-1, 19-1, 6-1.
Also Ran: Son Pak Fu (Aus), Flying Ace (NZ), Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), Taj Dragon (Ire), Whizz Kid (Aus), Packing Treadmill (Aus), Courier Wonder (NZ), Duke Wai (NZ), Sight Success (Aus), Super Wealthy (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing.

The post Victor the Winner Goes All The Way In Centenary Sprint Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Romantic Warrior's nose defeat of a never-say-die Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) came just 43 days after his landmark victory in the G1 W. S. Cox Plate in Melbourne, and trainer Danny Shum is focused on not squeezing the lemon dry.

“He looks great, but I feel he will be a little bit tired because it was a hard run, both two races were very hard. He'll have a short break now,” Shum said. “He'll have enough time to recover if we go to the Gold Cup next–2000 metres is his trip, I think that's a better idea. He's easy to train but he won both of those two races with his fighting heart, he uses a lot of energy. I have to look after him because he uses himself a lot, it's better to give him a bit of a break and go again.”

Romantic Warrior has six wins from seven starts over the Sha Tin 2000 metres, his lone blemish coming when beaten by Golden Sixty in last year's Gold Cup. With earnings of nearly HK$120 million, Romantic Warrior is just the third horse to surpass HK$100 million, along with Golden Sixty and Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}).

The post Romantic Warrior To Skip Stewards’ Cup, HK Gold Cup Next appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Nordic Dragon (Ire) had made a favourable impression in a pair of barrier trials, winning one such event going 1200-metres around the city circuit Oct. 14 (video) and another when switched to the dirt track at Sha Tin Nov. 1 (video). Sent away as the 2.5 (3-2) favourite to open his account at first asking, the son of Rely On Me (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}) was away alertly from barrier four and showed enough speed to head them off while racing one off the inside down the back straight. Clearly in front as they reached the turn, the bay professionally went about his business in the final 300 metres and stayed on strongly to graduate by 3 1/4 lengths (video).

Shum also trains Romantic Warrior, himself a $HK4.8-million acquisition out of the HK International Sale in 2021 who has since gone on to become one of Hong Kong's leading lights. His first-up victory in last weekend's G2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin took his record to eight wins from nine starts and earnings approaching HK$43 million. Romantic Warrior can currently be found atop the markets for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 11. Starspangledbanner is also the sire of California Spangle (Ire), recent runner-up to dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G2 Jockey Club Mile and second to Romantic Warrior in last year's BMW Hong Kong Derby.

“He's a nice horse and the sire is very suitable to Hong Kong,” Shum said. “He was very impressive. I will start him again here and let him get more confidence and then I'll move him to Sha Tin.”

Added Ho, the regular rider for Golden Sixty: “He's a lovely horse, the race was good. He broke from the gates and took a few strides to pick and travelled nicely by himself and he got the job done. He was very concentrated. He's a decent horse.”

Bred by Matty Smith and Cloneymore Farm and hailing from the female family of G1 Oaks d'Italia winner and G1 Moyglare Stud S. third Menhoubah (Dixieland Band), Nordic Dragon was purchased by Lynn Lodge Stud for €88,000 at the 2019 Goffs November Sale and was resold to the team at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, headed up by Mick Kinane, for £130,000 at the Orby Sale the following fall. Rely On Me is the dam of Nordic Dragon's yearling full-brother who was purchased for 62,000gns by JB Bloodstock from the Baroda Stud consignment during Book 2 of this year's Tattersalls October Sale.

The post Two-Time Goffs Grad Impresses on Happy Valley Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), a graduate of the unique Hong Kong International Sale, took his record to five-from-five with a tough victory over pacesetting California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in Sunday's HK$12-million Hong Kong Classic Mile, the first of three legs of the 4YO Series in the jurisdiction. The Irishman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) rallied from midfield to finish a clear third.

Winner of five of his six starts, California Spangle–the top-rated galloper in the field–crossed and cleared his rivals from barrier 13 and set a reasonable gallop, as Karis Teetan aboard Romantic Warrior made full use of the rail draw to scrape paint down the back from a centerfield position. California Spangle, trying a distance beyond 1200 metres for the first time, went for home traveling nicely, but Teetan threaded the needle on Romantic Warrior at the quarter pole and was poised behind the pacesetter in upper stretch. A touch one-paced into the final furlong, Romantic Warrior knuckled down to split rivals and was doing his best work through the line. California Spangle, the only member of this 14-strong field without a BMW Hong Kong Derby entry, easily held second from The Irishman, who finished well while no menace to the top two. Turin Redstar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a two-time winner and sixth in the Brittania H. at Royal Ascot for John and Thady Gosden last June when raced as Mithras, made good ground from well back to be an eye-catching fourth at cricket-score odds.

“He had the draw and I think it helped him,” Teetan said. “I just wanted to follow California Spangle and I knew he would take me into the race but when this horse got the clear run, he really let down and I think he's got a very bright future. Man, the last 100 metres, when he got a clear run, he gave me a really good feel.”

Romantic Warrior was purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 300,000gns from the draft of David and Henrietta Egan's Corduff Stud at Tattersalls October in 2019 by a team headed up by legendary former jockey Mick Kinane. He is the third foal from his dam, a daughter of Folk Opera, whose biggest racetrack success came in the 10-furlong GI E. P. Taylor S. at Woodbine and whose resume also includes a victory in the G2 Darley Prix Jean Romanet. Folk Melody's last listed produce is a 2-year-old colt of this season named Operation Gimcrack (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), who fetched 160,000gns from Bryan Smart Racing at last year's Tattersalls October Sale.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
HONG KONG CLASSIC MILE-LR, HK$12,000,000 (£1,149,106/€1,381,100/A$2,200,825/US$1,539,981), Sha Tin, 1-30, NH/SH4yo, 1600mT, 1:33.80, gd.
1–ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Acclamation (GB)
1st Dam: Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling
1ST STAKES WIN. (300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 2yo '21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & T J Rooney; T-Danny Shum Chap-Shing; J-Karis Teetan; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, HK$10,415,400.
2–California Spangle (Ire), 126, g, 4, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFORB). O-Howard Liang Yum Shing; B-M Enright; T-Tony Cruz; J-Matthew Chadwick; HK$2,640,000.
3–The Irishman (NZ), 126, g, 4, Tavistock (NZ)–Zeranti (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ). (NZ$170,000 Ylg '19 NZBJAN). O-Edmond Lee Man Bun; B-Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan; T-Francis Lui Kin-Wai; J-Vincent Ho Chak-Yiu; HK$1,380,000.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 39-10, 18-5, 34-5.
Also Ran: Turin Redsun (GB), Ima Single Man (Aus), Sight Spirit (Aus), Setanta (Aus), Lucky With You (Aus), Blaze Warrior (Aus), Rocket Space (Aus), Master Delight (Aus), Fa Fa (NZ), Cobhfield (Ire), Packing Victory (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.

WATCH: Romantic Warrior makes it five on the trot in the Classic Mile

The post Acclamation’s Romantic Warrior Remains Perfect In Classic Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post