Saturday sees the latest showstopper on the international racing scene as a crack field of middle-distance performers line up in the Saudi Cup. 1m2f around the Riyadh dirt track is the challenge which awaits a 14-runner field containing runners from Japan, Hong Kong, USA, France, UAE, and Saudi Arabia,
With all due respect to the remaining contenders, the clear headline act in this £16m event is the sole representative from Hong Kong, as the living legend Romantic Warrior takes his formidable talents on the road once more.
From Ireland to Grade 1 success in Hong Kong
Born and bred in Ireland, Romantic Warrior is a son of the high-class sprinting sire Acclamation and Folk Melody, who looked good on paper but largely failed to deliver at the track. All in all, a fair pedigree, but no more than that, and certainly not one which hinted at the phenomenal achievements to come.
Taking up residence at the Hong Kong yard of Danny Shum, Romantic Warrior kicked off his career in 2021 with a five-race winning streak at Happy Valley and Sha Tin. By May 2023, the horse had raced 14 times in his homeland, winning 10 times and finishing out of the first two only once. Having proven himself at the top table with Group 1 wins in the QEII Cup and Hong Kong Cup, Romantic Warrior was ready to take his talents overseas.
Warrior Conquers Australia, Japan, and Dubai
A now five-year-old Romantic Warrior managed only fourth in the Turnbull Stakes on his first trip down under in October 2023 but took little time to acclimatise. Sent off as the 13/5 favourite for the 2023 Cox Plate, he responded willingly to the urgings of regular partner James McDonald to get up in the shadow of the post.
The next international jaunt for the Peter Lau Pak Fai-owned superstar came in the 2024 edition of the Yasuda Kinen. Try as they might, the best of the Japanese milers couldn’t quite get to Romantic Warrior, who kicked clear in the straight and held on by half a length to add a further £1m to his rapidly escalating earnings.
Having extended his latest winning spree to seven, Meydan beckoned for the supremely talented seven-year-old with a field of challengers from Britain and the UAE lying in wait in the 2025 Jebel Hatta. Nothing could get near Romantic Warrior, who displayed an exhilarating burst of acceleration inside the final furlong to score an easy victory by four and a half lengths.
Next Stop Saudi Arabia
Given that impressive record at home and abroad, you might expect that Romantic Warrior would be a pretty short-priced favourite for the headline event in Riyadh. The fact that he is only second best in most betting lists is almost certainly due to the dirt surface on which the Saudi Cup takes place.
Much like City Of Troy and his unsuccessful bid for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Romantic Warrior steps into the unknown on Saturday evening. Until now, all 23 career outings and all 18 wins have come on a turf surface ranging from yielding to good to firm.
Attempting to assess a horse’s suitability for dirt in advance is a task fraught with difficulty. Trainer Danny Shum sat on the fence when stating:
“Maybe he will be very good on it, or maybe he can’t handle it”
James McDonald sounded a little more optimistic when adding:
“I am quietly confident he will handle it.”
A look at the breeding page of Romantic Warrior fails to provide much clarity. Sire Acclamation raced exclusively on turf and is best known as a leading turf stallion. All five of dam Folk Melody’s starts also came on grass, but her sire Street Cry scored three times in top-level dirt events. As such, there’s a little hope from the dam side, but we will only truly find out if Romantic Warrior handles the surface when we see him race on it.
A Little Gloss to a Sparkling Career
However Romantic Warrior fares in the Saudi Cup, his place in the annals of international racing legend has long since been secured. He has, after all, now won an incredible ten times in Group/Grade 1 events, become the first horse to win three Hong Kong Cups, and amassed over £18m in prize money. That latest figure makes him the highest-earning racehorse on the planet.
Romantic Warrior’s Group 1 Wins
| Date | Race | Course | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/04/2022 | QEII Cup | Sha Tin (Hong Kong) | £1.35m |
| 11/12/2022 | Hong Kong Cup | Sha Tin (Hong Kong) | £1.84m |
| 30/04/2023 | QEII Cup | Sha Tin (Hong Kong) | £1.52m |
| 28/10/2023 | Cox Plate | Moonee Valley (Australia) | £1.72m |
| 10/12/2023 | Hong Kong Cup | Sha Tin (Hong Kong) | £2.15m |
| 25/02/2024 | Hong Kong Gold Cup | Sha Tin (Hong Kong) | £732k |
| 28/04/2024 | QEII Cup | Sha Tin (Hong Kong) | £1.58m |
| 02/06/2024 | Yasuda Kinen | Tokyo (Japan) | £1.02m |
| 08/12/2024 | Hong Kong Cup | Sha Tin (Hong Kong) | £2.25m |
| 24/01/2025 | Jebel Hatta | Meydan (Dubai) | £241k |
Can he add a further £8m to his haul by conquering a field including Japanese sensation Forever Young, US raider Rattle N Roll, and French Grade 1 star Facteur Cheval? The eyes of the racing world will turn to Riyadh at 5:40 pm on Saturday to find out.