Romantic Warrior takes heart stage at Sha Tin Racecourse Nov. 17 as Hong Kong’s finest runners prep for the most important day on the native calendar, the Dec. 8 Longines Hong Kong Worldwide Races.
Romantic Warrior, a 6-year-old Acclamation gelding, is bidding to eclipse data held by now-retired Golden Sixty after demonstrating his prowess through the 2023-24 season with top-level victories at residence, in Australia, and in Japan.
He takes on 10 rivals within the Jockey Membership Cup (G2) at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), the marquee race on this system with companion options at 1,600 meters (about one mile) and 1,200 meters (about six furlongs). Hong Kong Jockey Membership officers and connections are monitoring the potential affect of latest heavy hurricane rain.
The Jockey Membership Cup is the native audition for the Hong Kong Cup (G1) Dec. 8, a race Romantic Warrior has received in every of the final two years. A 3rd rating would increase Romantic Warrior’s earnings previous Golden Sixty’s present document HK$167.17 million (about US$21.3 million) by the Hong Kong Jockey Membership’s reckoning.
Romantic Warrior turned in a passable work Nov. 4 with jockey Hugh Bowman reporting, “The attention does not lie. He appears superb and bodily he is very sound, fit-looking and mentally he is the total package deal.”
Bowman will hand over the reins to James McDonald, present chief within the Longines World’s Greatest Jockey standings, who jets in from Australia after a profitable run on the Melbourne Cup Carnival. McDonald has been aboard Romantic Warrior in seven group 1 wins so it is little shock he commented, “It is at all times thrilling to experience Romantic Warrior … It is at all times thrilling when his title is talked about.”
Coach Ricky Yiu sends Nimble Nimbus and Superior Fluke towards Romantic Warrior. Nimble Nimbus completed third behind Romantic Warrior within the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) in February and the coach stated he’s “a horse who can at all times provide you with a little bit of a shock.”
Beating Romantic Warrior can be greater than “a bit” of a shock.
Galaxy Patch, Voyage Bubble Meet Once more in Jockey Membership Mile
Coach Pierre Ng appears for Galaxy Patch to proceed his upward trajectory within the Jockey Membership Mile (G2) as he factors to the Hong Kong Mile (G1) in December.
The 5-year-old gelding completed the 2023-24 season with two straight wins and returned to win his first begin within the new marketing campaign by 1 1/2 lengths from Voyage Bubble. That foe returns, as does group 1 winner Magnificence Everlasting.
Ng, who leads the Hong Kong trainers’ standings, stated Galaxy Patch has improved since that Oct. 13 season debut.
“Galaxy Patch is doing rather well. He has improved from his final run. Hopefully the rain hasn’t affected the observe that a lot,” Ng stated. “That is one other check for him towards these two group 1 horses. We’re actually trying ahead to it as we construct up in the direction of the worldwide race.”
Voyage Bubble, the 2023 Hong Kong Derby winner, received the Stewards’ Cup (G1) in January, then struck out in tilts in Dubai and Japan, ending thirteenth within the Dubai Turf (G1T) and seventeenth within the Yasuda Kinen (G1).
After his runner-up displaying within the October season opener, he repaired to the clear mountain air and inexperienced pastures of the HKJC’s Conghua coaching facility on the mainland the place he stretched his legs in a barrier trial Nov. 5.
“All my horses love being at Conghua,” stated Yiu, who situations the son of Deep Subject. “He is stuffed with beans.”
Voyage Bubble was a long-shot second to Golden Sixty in final 12 months’s Hong Kong Mile.
Hong Kong’s main rider, Zac Purton, partnered Magnificence Everlasting in a Nov. 7 trial.
“He trialed like he at all times does on the grime,” Purton stated. “It isn’t his most well-liked floor however he did every little thing proper. He bought out of the gates good, he bought into a pleasant rhythm and he’ll take some profit out of it. He appears to be getting higher each time.”
Ka Ying Rising Leads Jockey Membership Dash
After Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising, appears essentially the most strong probability on this system as he takes on 11 rivals within the Jockey Membership Dash (G2).
The David Hayes-trained 4-year-old has jumped by means of the ranks of native sprinters and was final seen dominating the Premier Bowl Handicap (G2) in October, operating 1,200 meters in 1:07.57—third-fastest ever on the Sha Tin turf.
Ka Ying Rising had no points in profitable a Nov. 8 barrier trial at Conghua and Hayes reported, “I might say he is nearly as good as his final run.”
Chief rival California Spangle received the Al Quoz Dash (G1T) in Dubai in March however was third, three lengths again of Ka Ying Rising, within the Premier Bowl. Fortunate Sweynesse, the one Hong Kong-based sprinter rated greater than Ka Ying Rising (132 versus 127), is sidelined with an damage.
