A review of the action from Sha Tin for the 2022 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.
Warrior enters world’s elite
They came to bow down to the old king and left saluting a powerful new prince of Hong Kong racing as Romantic Warrior left a high-class global field trailing in his wake at Sha Tin with a thunderous performance in Sunday's HK$34 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
Hong Kong racing’s biggest crowd since the corresponding day in 2019 gave dual Horse of the Year (2020/21 & 2021/22) Golden Sixty a glowing reception despite his failure to wear down California Spangle in the HK$30 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m).
However, Danny Shum’s gelding banished any sense of anti-climax with a devastating success that left his rider James McDonald saying that “he’s got everything a good horse needs and he’s got it in spades."
McDonald had been asked to take the ride on Danny Shum’s gelding once it became clear that Karis Teetan would not recover in time to resume the relationship with the muscular son of Acclamation in last month’s G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m).
The Kiwi marked the greatest year of his career when receiving the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award at a glittering Gala Dinner on Friday and the 30-year-old ace has no doubt that Romantic Warrior compares well with any of the elite global performers who have carried him to the peak of his profession.
“This horse has a lot of great attributes but his greatest is that he’s so adaptable at taking a position,” he said.
"I promise you, that was really as good as it looked," he said. “He was perfect from start to finish today and he’s right up there with any of the other really good ones I’ve ridden, don’t worry about that.”
If McDonald was always confident then the same could also be said of the winning trainer, who stood quietly in a covered corner of the weighing in area as a field of twelve including five Japanese raiders and Irish hope Order Of Australia jumped from the gates.
Shum didn’t bat an eyelid as the freewheeling Panthalassa edged across his charge to take the lead running into the first bend and cast his eyes up and down from race card to television screen as the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) runner-up took the field through solid early fractions of 25.34s, 23.53s and 23.51s.
Content to settle back into sixth as Ka Ying Star and Money Catcher pressed the leader passing halfway, McDonald asked Romantic Warrior to improve on the outer rounding the home turn and Shum took a deep breath and moved his multi coloured glasses to the top of his forehead.
And then, as Romantic Warrior loomed up to challenge with just over 300m to run, the winning trainer finally let his pent-up emotions bubble to the surface.
A deep-throated “Good Boy” rang around the side of the Sha Tin stand as McDonald asked his mount to deliver the killer blow and Romantic Warrior didn’t hesitate for a second, powering four and a half lengths clear take over from globetrotting French star Jim And Tonic (1999) as the widest margin winner in LONGINES Hong Kong Cup history in a winning time of 1m 59.70s.
Danon The Kid stayed on willingly to fare best of the Japanese quintet in second with Money Catcher, Tourbillon Diamond and Russian Emperor finishing third, fourth and fifth for Hong Kong. Geoglyph came home a creditable sixth but fellow Japanese raiders Jack d’Or and Panthalassa were well held in seventh and tenth.
Shum’s previous career highlight came when his crack sprinter Little Bridge staged a daring hit-and-run raid on Royal Ascot’s G1 King’s Stand Stakes in 2012 but he is now looking forward to an assault on the Hong Kong history books that could involve a clash with California Spangle and Golden Sixty as part of an audacious Triple Crown bid.
“His owner Peter Lau said ‘Danny if we win this race we should target the Hong Kong Triple Crown over 1600m, 2000m and 2400m’," he said.
That epic feat, which involves winning three more G1 prizes comprising the Stewards’ Cup (1600m), Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m), has only been achieved once by River Verdon back in 1994.
However, Romantic Warrior has already done what very few horses in Hong Kong history have ever done, winning nine of his ten races since making a winning debut at Happy Valley in October, 2021, and Shum is certain his unusually professional temperament is a key factor.
“His confidence keeps increasing but ever since I saw him at the International Sale, he has been so professional and calm in everything he does,” he added. “It has been an amazing effort by my team and I think this must be the most memorable day of my career.”
A runaway win in one of the world’s great 2000m contests will always resonate on racing’s global stage but this one rang out in Hong Kong for several significant reasons.
First, it was a maiden HKIR success for 62-year-old Shum, who rode 24 winners as a homegrown rider between 1977 and 1983 then learned his trade as a trainer with the legendary Ivan Allan before being awarded a licence in his own right for the 2003/04 season.
Second, it provided a ringing endorsement for the Hong Kong International Sale - where the hammer came down at HK$4.8m when Romantic Warrior went through the ring in June 2021 - and for a vintage 2022 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) that was dominated by today’s LONGINES Hong Kong Cup and LONGINES Hong Kong Mile heroes.
And, last but not least, Romantic Warrior’s commanding success left the HKJC’s Head of Handicapping, Race Planning and International Racing Nigel Gray pondering a provisional rating of 124, which would place him behind only world champion Baaeed as the best 2000m turf performer in the world.
But, on a day which generated crowd of around 45,000 and a record HK$1.729 billion in wagering turnover the focus was more on the sense of joy of seeing a brilliant young horse in full flow as Hong Kong’s sports fans revelled in the first HKIR day with meaningful crowds since COVID struck.
Joao bids emotional farewell to Hong Kong racing
Joao Moreira's final day in Hong Kong didn't end in the way he wanted - with just a third and two seconds from his seven rides - but the four-time Hong Kong champion jockey was proud and humbled by the reception he received both at a packed pre-racing paddock presentation and throughout the day as a his many fans paid tribute.
"It wasn't to be I'm afraid but I would just like to say thank you to the Jockey Club and all the people who have supported me as it has been an honour to ride here for so long," he said.
Moreira came within a neck of victory in both the last two races, finishing second aboard Voyage Bubble behind Super Sunny Sing and occupying the same position in the finale when Beauty Live was wore down Blaze Warrior.
Marilyn stars with Vase victory
Win Marilyn produced a storming late run to deny French raider Botanik in the Longines Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.
Trained by Takahisa Tezuka and ridden by Damien Lane, Win Marilyn had not been beaten far in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on her latest start and sealed her first Group One success in style.
Senor Toba set out to make all in the 12-furlong contest, with William Buick sitting in second aboard the Andre Fabre-trained Botanik while Ryan Moore and Stone Age, who is trained by Aidan O’Brien, raced keenly on his heels in third.
It looked as though Buick was in prime position in the straight when Senor Toba began to back pedal, but Lane was lining up Win Marilyn for her run, sweeping round the outside of the field.
Fellow Japanese runner Glory Vase, who was bidding for a third successive win in the race, tried to go with her, but Win Marilyn was just too strong.
Botanik held on for second, with Glory Vase third and Stone Age fifth. His fellow O’Brien inmate Broome failed to figure in the finish, coming home eighth.
Tezuka said: “After the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, we got together and unanimously decided to target this race. The mare was at her optimum trip and Damien gave her the perfect ride.
“It’s my first winner here and I’m incredibly proud.”
Lane added: “I’m breathing a sigh of relief to break my duck here. She showed such a good turn of foot in the QEII when I thought the horse that beat us was something special. I’m proud to be a part of Japanese racing and getting on good horses like her.”
Buick was a late replacement for Mickael Barzalona aboard the Godolphin-owned Botanik and he was impressed with the four-year-old’s effort.
“He’s run a blinder, he’s a lovely horse,” said Buick. “To be honest, if you ignore his run on Arc day, he looked like he had a real chance.
“Mr Fabre doesn’t send many horses here and when he does send them you know they have a chance.
“He’s Mickael’s ride and unfortunately Mickael has Covid, so I’m only a step-in. But he’s going to be a really nice stayer for next year. He’s got a great attitude and he stayed well the whole way.”
O’Brien will consider future plans for his runners now.
He said: “It didn’t happen today but we will go away and have a think about what they might do next year. There are a lot of races for them.”
Another French runner, Bubble Gift, finished sixth while German contender Mendocino reared as the stalls opened and lost any chance.
California Spangle scuppers Golden Sixty’s hat-trick bid
California Spangle repelled the late surge of Golden Sixty to land the Longines Hong Kong Mile.
Golden Sixty was widely expected to win the Group One heat for a third time and had beaten California Spangle on his last two starts. However, Zac Purton gave the winner a fine ride, racing into the straight behind pace-setter Beauty Joy before seizing the initiative and going for home two furlongs out.
While Golden Sixty set off in his customary late surge, he just could not reel in California Spangle, with ex-Irish runner Laws Of Indices keeping on for a creditable third for Australian trainer Annabel Neasham.
California Spangle’s trainer Tony Cruz said: “Everything can change within a second in a race like that, but I expected him to win an international race one day.
“Golden Sixty is a fantastic horse but maybe age is catching up with him. Everything turned out fantastically well for us and we are lucky to have Zac in the saddle.”
Purton added: “It was pretty straightforward in the early stages as Tony told me to let him roll along, but today he kept coming back underneath me waiting for the other horses.
“I think today we have seen how versatile he can be. When he went clear I could hear Golden Sixty breathing down my neck, but when we were still in front at the hundred I thought, hang on, he’s not going to catch us.
“I won’t discredit Golden Sixty in any way, but today we evened things up and I would like to pay tribute to Tony, who was a legendary jockey and is also a legend as a trainer in the way he gets horses to peak for him.”
Romantic Warrior coasted to victory in the Longines Hong Kong Cup for trainer Danny Shum and jockey James McDonald.
The four-year-old could be called the winner from some way out, grabbing the lead a furlong out and quickly putting daylight between himself and the rest of the field.
McDonald had time to ease down and salute the Sha Tin crowd as Danon The Kid chased him home in second.
The winning rider said: “I didn’t think he’d win like that but the quality of this horse is amazing. His turn of foot is incredible. He has everything a good horse should have and he has it in spades.
“This is the race here in Hong Kong I want to win.”
Order Of Australia represented Aidan O’Brien but finished 11th under Ryan Moore, who said: “He was disappointing, he didn’t run up to his best.”
Wellington has too much boot in Hong Kong Sprint
Royal Ascot could be on the agenda for Wellington following his victory in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin.
He suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Lucky Sweynesse on his most recent start and pulled up lame, but Wellington reversed that form in the hands of Ryan Moore, substituting for regular partner Alexis Badel who was injured in a fall last month.
Sight Success led the runners into the home straight in the six-furlong contest, with Ryan Moore plotting an ideal route down the middle of the track aboard the winner.
Wellington, who is trained by Richard Gibson, responded in style coming home a cosy winner from Sight Success with last year’s race winner Sky Field third. Lucky Sweynesse struggled to get a clear run through and finished sixth.
Gibson could now look to Royal Ascot for his charge, with Cape Of Good Hope (2005) and Little Bridge (2012) having previously struck for Hong Kong handlers at the summer showpiece.
“In a five-month preparation we have put everything into getting him back and ready for today, but if he comes out of it good of course we will look at Ascot,” he said.
“You can’t call yourself a sprint champion unless you take out this big one. I’m gutted for Alexis Badel but proud of our team, who had a lot of work to do after his last run.
“We let nature take its course and were patient and also pleased that he hadn’t missed any work.
“I thought Ryan’s execution was micro perfect.”
Moore was full of praise for his mount and delighted to get on the Sha Tin scoresheet.
He said: “He began well off a very slow pace for the first furlong and a half to two furlongs.
“I was happy and mindful that he would be able to go when he wanted to go.
“He quickened up and sealed it in a few strides – I’ve always felt he was the best sprinter in Hong Kong.
“To me he looked the part. He had excuses the last time and today he was very relaxed and fell asleep during the race, but as soon as I asked him he was straight into gear. I’m very fortunate to come here so often and it’s a fitting way to end the year.”
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