In the end,
history was achieved in the most impressive way imaginable.

Romantic Warrior became the first horse to win the Group 1, US$5.1 million Hong Kong Cup
three times, doing so Sunday at Sha Tin in a manner befitting his status as his
homeland’s pre-eminent equine ambassador.

So easily
did the 6-year-old defy an array of international competition, in fact, that
jockey James McDonald was able to stand up in his irons and salute the packed
Sha Tin grandstand as he passed the finish line 1 1/2 lengths clear of Japan’s
Liberty Island.

The heavy favorite
in the feature of the annual Hong Kong International Races started slickly from
the gates to start the 1 1/4-mile race. McDonald was able to allow him to
settle into an easy rhythm in fourth place as Ireland filly Wingspan set the
pace.

Another
Japan challenger Tastiera had tracked in second and really provided the only
competition to Romantic Warrior as they turned for home in a race very few got
into. Liberty Island edged past her compatriot in the closing stages, but the
winner already had wrapped up the contest with a quite stunning demonstration
of power, speed and grace.

“That was
unbelievable. I’m so proud of this horse,” McDonald said. “He’s just been
remarkable, and it’s some effort by (trainer) Danny (Shum) and his team.

“The
Japanese (horses) put it to him but with no luck. He’s the best. Forget the
rest. He’s the best. He’s been flying, and anyone could ride him, because he’s
that easy, but I’m the lucky one. He’s the horse of a lifetime. This was our
moment to create history, and it felt like I was lining up for the winning kick
for the All Blacks. It was a pinch-me moment.”

“He was
confident and full of energy,” Shum said. “I stayed in the stables the whole
time. I didn’t want to go out to talk too much. I work hard. I love my team,
and my team has done a great job.”

Romantic
Warrior already had flown the flag for Hong Kong in several other
jurisdictions, winning the Cox Plate (G1) in Australia in October 2023. Shum
and his team then took the brave decision to head to Japan in June, when he won
the Yasuda Kinen (G1) in Tokyo.

This latest
achievement in an unbeaten streak lasting longer than a year sees him move past
another Hong Kong great Golden Sixty as the biggest money earner in racing
history.

In February
another enormous date is circled in his diary with a crack on the dirt for the
US$20 million Saudi Cup (G1) going 1 1/8 miles. After that there is the US$12
million Dubai World Cup (G1) on April 5.

“He’s the
best, but I have to take another bigger challenge to go to Dubai and Saudi
Arabia, just because I haven’t been to Dubai for 25 years,” Shum said. “At that
time I was assistant trainer for Mr. Ivan Allan. I had a new experience. I will
make sure the team that go there are in the best form.”

Giavellotto
rallies in Hong Kong Vase

Giavellotto produced an irresistible surge down the Sha Tin
straight to stamp his authority on the 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase (G1) under Oisín
Murphy, ending a 12-year drought for U.K.-based trainers on Hong Kong
International Races night dating to Ed Dunlop-trained Red Cadeaux in 2012.

The 5-year-old son of Mastercraftsman has established
himself as a high-class stayer over trips between 1 3/4 and two miles, and
trainer Marco Botti gave credit to Murphy for giving him the confidence to cut
back to 1 1/2miles at this rarified level.

“Credit to Oisín, because first thing after the (1 3/4-mile)
Group 1 Irish St. Leger, he mentioned this race, and he was adamant that we
should come here,” Botti said. “We followed Oisín’s advice, and it worked out
well.”

Giavellotto slid comfortably along the rail up the backstretch
in the third wave, but his challenge looked to have hit the buffers when the
gap slammed shut at the top of the straight just as João Moreira launched Japan-trained
favourite Stellenbosch with a big run down the outside.

Murphy refused to panic. Having spotted the leaders a couple
of lengths start, be cut back to the inside and broke the logjam at the head of
the race, coming home 2 1/2 lengths clear of fellow Newmarket resident Dubai
Honour. Stellenbosch stayed on for third.

Voyage Bubble scores in
Hong Kong Mile

Voyage Bubble sealed his status as Hong Kong’s premier miler
with a spirited victory in the Hong Kong Mile (G1) under McDonald for trainer
Ricky Yiu.

Banishing memories of chasing former champion Golden Sixty’s
tail in this race last year when second, Voyage Bubble followed his Jockey Club
Mile (G2) triumph last month by staving off opposition from Hong Kong, Japan,
Australia, France and Great Britain as the 8-5 favorite.

Unplaced in Dubai and Japan late last season, Voyage Bubble
had his third run this term following an arduous 2023-24 campaign after
finishing second off a break to Galaxy Patch in October, who was seventh after
contending with the widest of 14 barriers and an interrupted run in the home
straight. 

The win was Voyage Bubble’s second at the Group 1 level
after winning the Stewards’ Cup in January.

“He’s (Voyage Bubble) a great horse in his own right,”
McDonald said. “He felt excellent going to the gates today. He was really on
the job. Credit to Ricky and his team. They’ve prepped him up beautifully. He
just gives his all. He has a very big heart, and he’s very uncomplicated.”

Settled on the speed after the start, Voyage Bubble jostled
for the lead with Beauty Eternal before leaving Zac Purton’s mount alone at the
head of the field. Asked the question with about three-sixteenths of a mile to
run, Voyage Bubble responded with trademark tenacity as Soul Rush unleashed
late.

Japan’s raider Soul Rush, who finished fourth in 2023 behind
Golden Sixty, made up significant ground to pinch second as Beauty Joy did
similarly under Brenton Avdulla, but it was Voyage Bubble who savored victory
by 1 1/4 lengths.

Ka Ying Rising soars in
Hong Kong Sprint

Overcoming
difficulties at the start and pressure throughout, Ka Ying Rising continued a
meteoric rise to clinch the biggest win of his career with victory in the six-furlong
Hong Kong Sprint (G1).

The Shamexpress
gelding responded courageously for jockey Zac Purton and trainer David Hayes to
record his eighth successive victory.

Slowly
away, Ka Ying Rising eventually triumphed by a half-length over Hong Kong’s
Helios Express with Japan raider Satono Reve a short head farther away in third
place. He triumphed at 1-10, the shortest-priced favorite in the history of the
race.

The winning
time of 1:08.15 was outside Ka Ying Rising’s course record of 1:07.43 set in
his previous start.

Purton, who
has won the Hong Kong Sprint four times, claimed his 12th Hong Kong
International Races win. He said the win as better than it looked.

“Something
lunged at the gate just before he went, and it took his mind off it, and he
turned his head, so he was a little bit slow to step,” Purton said. “And then
Victor The Winner just bored my neck the whole way, and he never quite relaxed
the way he has. He was working the whole way and never had time to relax.”

Purton also
said Ka Ying Rising jumped over something in the stretch, and that distracted
the 4-year-old who improved his record to nine wins from 11 starts.

“He wasn’t
at his best today and is better than this and still got the job done,” Purton
said.

Hayes will
wait to see how his rising star recovers before deciding on his next
assignment.

“We’ll see
how he pulls up, but the initial one will be the Group 1 sprint in late
January, six weeks between the runs,” Hayes said. “And then after that, we’ll
make a decision whether we go to the (Hong Kong Classic) mile or not.”

Starlust,
who won the five-furlong Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint for trainer Ralph Beckett on
Nov. 2 at Del Mar, finished 13th of 14.

Nobals, who
has been shipped from the U.S. to race in the Hong Kong Sprint, was scratched
Friday because of a fever.

Coverage of the entire Hong Kong Thoroughbred season at Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.