Romantic Warrior has been the talk of trackwork at Meydan Racecourse this week and the presence of the Hong Kong superstar on Fashion Friday comes during a continued Dubai Racing Club push to entice some of the world’s best gallopers to the city for extended winter stints.

Into its second year, this week’s Fashion Friday card is headlined by the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) on turf and the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge (1,900m) on dirt, with both races recently shifted from early March to offer more continuity for horses eyeing a sustained Middle Eastern swing.

Romantic Warrior, who has been in Dubai since December 17, will run in the Jebel Hatta before heading towards the US$20 million Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on February 22 and returning to the United Arab Emirates to chase more riches on Dubai World Cup night in early April.

“Everywhere he goes he creates a buzz and we’re very lucky to have him here. We’re looking forward to seeing him run tomorrow,” said Dubai Racing Club chief executive Ali Al Ali of nine-time Group One winner Romantic Warrior.

“It is a big meeting, indeed. When we restructured and introduced Fashion Friday last year, it was met with a lot of scepticism.

“But as always, Dubai always proves everyone wrong. We’re very happy with the rapid growth we have seen with Fashion Friday and we’re looking forward to evolving it throughout the years.

“It’s something that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has established very well, with horses wintering here in Dubai and then those horses going out – whether they were Godolphin horses or any other horses – and winning a lot of good races around the world.

“Change is always received with scepticism but we’re not shy to change and evolve. That’s what Dubai is all about – it’s evolving and changing and developing. Even when it’s top notch, we still look at how we can make it better.”

After winning Group One races in Hong Kong, Australia and Japan, Romantic Warrior will test his mettle in the Middle East for the first time on Friday night.

His chief rival comes in the form of Godolphin’s Measured Time, who won the Jebel Hatta last year and set the Meydan 1,800m course record at his last start.

“It’s going to be a very exciting race,” said Al Ali. “I can see the crowd here are split between Measured Time and Romantic Warrior. May the best horse win.”

Romantic Warrior looked in top order when completing two laps of the Meydan dirt on Thursday morning ahead of his first run over 1,800m since his fourth in the Classic Cup as a four-year-old nearly three years ago.

“Romantic Warrior is fit and he’s happy here. He’s ready to race tomorrow. I hope we get a good run and I really expect he will finish the race [strong],” said trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing ahead of his first runner in Dubai.

Romantic Warrior, who will be ridden by Kiwi gun James McDonald, is far from the only superstar stepping out on Fashion Friday, which is part of the World Pool and will see the two Group Ones simulcast by the Jockey Club.

Last year’s Group One Dubai World Cup (2,000m) winner Laurel River, who was adjudged the equal-best horse in the world this week, reigning Al Maktoum Challenge hero Kabirkhan and Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) victor Facteur Cheval will all feature on the nine-race card.

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