Romantic Warrior’s audacious globetrotting quests may have come to an end after Danny Shum Chap-shing said he’s leaning towards keeping his star on home soil for the duration of next season.
The son of Acclamation capped his groundbreaking campaign with his fifth consecutive Group One win in the famed Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) at Tokyo racecourse last month.
In doing so, he became the first horse to reign supreme in the Yasuda Kinen and Group One Cox Plate (2,040m), which he collected in the most dramatic fashion at Moonee Valley in October last year.
His monumental Japanese success followed Group One wins in the Cox Plate, Hong Kong Cup, Gold Cup and QE II Cup, and earned him an automatic berth in November’s Group One Breeders’ Cup Mile in the process.
After letting the dust settle on Romantic Warrior’s campaign, Shum said a trip to the United States is one of several offers on the table for owner, Peter Lau Pak-fai, to consider.
“There are a lot of options for us,” Shum said. “John Blight from Moonee Valley came and had a meeting with me and Peter Lau to see if we will go back for the Cox Plate, and Bill Nader from the Breeders’ Cup called Peter as well.
“For me I’d prefer to stay in Hong Kong, but I have to listen to the boss. We can stay here in November, then go to the Hong Kong Cup, Gold Cup and QE II Cup again. We need to see.”
Of the international assignments on the table for Romantic Warrior, Shum says he is not ruling out a possible defence of his Yasuda Kinen crown, with the ease of transport and quarantine in Tokyo a big advantage.
“The Breeders’ Cup is so far away and the quarantine system and CT scans in Australia are very difficult,” Shum said. “We could do the same as last year maybe and run him in the Yasuda Kinen in June – we’ll see how he goes. You go straight to Tokyo, the quarantine is in the racecourse. It’s very easy and the horse is very comfortable there.
“You also have to remember he’s going to be seven in January, so we need to look after him and make sure he’s in the right spot.”
Lau is certain to be celebrating again at the 2023-24 Champion Awards, with Romantic Warrior set to be crowned Horse of the Year at the annual gala dinner that takes place on July 12.
The owner has enjoyed “once-in-a-lifetime” euphoria of winning the Cox Plate and the thrill of winning the Yasuda Kinen, and he will be hoping to experience more success when his newest acquisition, Capulet, arrives in Hong Kong.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien during his two-year-old and three-year-old career, Capulet looked a promising prospect when he collected the Listed Dee Stakes (2,060m) at Chester in May.
The son of Justify is believed to be joining Shum’s stable and will undoubtedly look towards next season’s Hong Kong Derby (2,000m).
