Danny Shum Chap-shing is confident a refreshed Romantic Warrior is ready to fly the Hong Kong flag in a hot Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) on Champions Day later this month.
After winning an all-local affair in 2022, this year Romantic Warrior is the hometown hope in a field likely to include William Haggas’ in-form star Dubai Honour, Japanese quartet Geraldina, Danon The Kid, Hishi Iguazu and Prognosis, plus Godolphin’s Warren Point, the Charlie Appleby-trained galloper who was runner-up behind Russian Emperor in February’s H.H. The Amir Trophy (2,400m) in Qatar.
After a big start to his campaign that included a first-up victory in the Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) and a scintillating Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) win against a crack international field, there were suggestions Romantic Warrior was below his best when second to Golden Sixty in February’s Group One Gold Cup (2,000m).
However, Romantic Warrior lacked none of his customary zest when springing from the gates and winning a 1,600m turf trial by five and a half lengths at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning, and Shum is pleased with how his stable star is tracking.
“It was a good trial. The horse is good. Last start, he was a little bit tired, so I gave him some time off – seven weeks – which did him good. He recovered quickly and he’s good now – fingers crossed,” Shum said.
While James McDonald will reunite with Romantic Warrior for the QE II Cup, Zac Purton will jump aboard the five-year-old for the first time under race conditions in next month’s Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m), and it was the Australian in the saddle for Tuesday’s hit-out.
“I rode him in a trial earlier in the season. His action was a little bit short and he wasn’t quite fit at the time, but he was a different horse this morning. He was moving a lot better and he trialled really well,” Purton said.
Shum is also expected to push onto the QE II Cup with Tourbillon Diamond after the honest six-year-old’s sixth behind California Spangle in Sunday’s Group Two Chairman’s Trophy (1,600m).
First, though, Shum will be looking to add to his 36 victories so far this season with five runners at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, with his hand highlighted by the in-form G One Excellent.
The five-year-old has been making the Valley 1,000m his own of late, reeling off a hat-trick of wins, and he will look to make it four in a row under Vincent Ho Chak-yiu in the Class Four Graham Handicap.
G One Excellent is not the only in-form galloper among Shum’s midweek hand, with Gortyus entering the Class Two Wyndham Handicap (1,650m) off the back of a win and a second from his past two runs, and Harmony N Home drawing gate one as he looks to build on his last-start second in the second section of the Class Four Glenealy Handicap (1,200m).
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