Romantic Warrior kept hope alive for a Triple Crown sweep with an easy win in the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) March 1 at Sha Tin Racecourse, but the Hong Kong Derby series was tossed into a muddle with a big upset in the day's second feature.
Romantic Warrior's 4-length domination of the best of local rivals in the Gold Cup was so complete that trainer Danny Shum was prompted to look not only beyond the Triple Crown effort but even to another season of international travel for the 8-year-old Acclamation gelding.
There was nothing to the Gold Cup effort. After watching two competitors set the early pace, jockey James McDonald swung Romantic Warrior out around them, gave him his head, and settled in for the ride home. He won by 4 lengths in a hand ride.
"He's just beautifully prepared. Danny's just done a marvelous job and each and every time I hop on him, I just cherish the moment," McDonald said. "I feel so special every time and you look between his ears and he's just so alert."
It was Romantic Warrior's fourth straight win since returning from a 2025 trip to Dubai and Saudia Arabia, a visit to the surgeon for minor repairs to a leg, and a 10-month layoff. It was his 13th group 1 win and those victories were shared with audiences in Australia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.
His world-record earnings total (about US$32.5 million, per the Hong Kong Jockey Club) would be even higher had he not been edged in an epic battle with Forever Young in the 2025 Saudi Cup (G1). His connections opted to forego another showdown with the Japanese star in Riyadh in favor of the Triple Crown bid, but Shum indicated 2027 might be a different story, age notwithstanding.
"I think he will now go to the QE II Cup and then to the Champions and Chater before he finishes the season," the trainer said. "Maybe next season we will go to the Saudi Cup. We will keep everything open for now."
The 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) QE II Cup (G1) is a feature on Champions Day at Sha Tin April 26. The Champions and Chater Cup (G1), run at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) is the final leg of the Triple Crown and closes Hong Kong's group 1 season May 24.
The prospect of a return to Saudi Arabia is doubly enticing as connections indicated after Forever Young won the race a second time Feb. 14 they might consider postponing his retirement by two months to go for a three-peat.
Video
Stormy Grove Upsets Hong Kong Classic Cup
The 4-Year-Old Classic series, which ends with the Hong Kong Derby, will not see a sweep as Stormy Grove stormed from far back in the field to capture the second leg, the Hong Kong Classic Cup, by 1 length in the day's second feature. Little Paradise, winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile, lost his chance to run the series with an eighth-place finish after blowing the start.
Stormy Grove, a Toronado gelding, started his rally turning into the straight with some 500 meters left in the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) Classic Cup. Replicating his effort in his previous start two weeks earlier, going 1,600 meters, Stormy Grove passed the field and won by 1 length over Invincible Ibis. Before the back-to-back wins, he was 0-for-5 in Hong Kong while contesting shorter distances.
The effort gave trainer Frankie Lor and jockey Harry Bentley confidence the gelding can get the 2,000 meters of the Derby March 22.
"I was extremely impressed with the way he won last time," Bentley said. "I had to come into this race with a certain level of expectation and hope. But to do it the way he did was pretty breathtaking.
"He's stepped up again, and he can do it. Same again. Now, to the Derby."
Video
