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Hong Kong Jockey Club

Romantic Warrior will break from barrier three against 13 rivals in Saturday’s Group 1 Saudi Cup going 1 1/8 miles on dirt at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia.

Hong Kong’s global champion is seeking a 19th win, an 11th at Group 1 level and an extension to world-record earnings of about $23.09 million in the feature race worth $20 million.

Romantic Warrior will start in his fifth jurisdiction after returning Group 1 wins in Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

If successful in the Saudi Cup, Romantic Warrior will set a record for the most Group 1 wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse. Both he and the retired Golden Sixty have 10 each.

Trained by Danny Shum and to be ridden by jockey James McDonald, the Irish-bred son of Acclamation squares off with Forever Young, Rattle N Roll, Facteur Cheval, Ushba Tesoro, Walk Of Stars, Ramjet, Al Musmak, El Kodigo, Wait To Excel, Wilson Tesoro, Defunded, Intense For Me and Wootton’sun in the nine furlong showdown.

Shum said: “The draw is good. I need to study the field and see how he goes but draw three is better than 13, at least.”

On Wednesday morning at trackwork, Romantic Warrior fired up under his work rider Gary Lau as the home straight was busy with galloping contenders.

“His trackwork is awesome. He’s improving, this horse, even though he is 7 years old. He will run a good race. The horse wanted to go this morning. The grip shoes will be on,” Shum said.

Japanese duo Forever Young and Ushba Tesoro break from barriers 14 and one, respectively.

Pgm	Silks	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last start	Int’l odds
1 pp10		Al Musmak Night of Thunder		Thamer Aldaihani Muhammad Aldaham	1st, KAR, cond, 1/4/25	33-1
Last race		1st, KAR, cond, 1/4/25
2 pp11		Defunded Dialed In	6.85	Abdulaziz Khalid Mishref Antonio Fresu	1st, 2025 UK Cup	66-1
Last race		1st, 2025 UK Cup
3 pp13		El Kodigo Equal Stripes		Abdulaziz Meshref Gustavo Calvente	1st, 2025 Jose Pedro Ramirez G1	33-1
Last race		1st, 2025 Jose Pedro Ramirez G1
4 pp12		Facteur Cheval Ribchester	7.24	Jerome Reynier Mickael Barzalona	3rd, 2025 Al Maktoum Challenge G1	12-1
Last race		3rd, 2025 Al Maktoum Challenge G1
5 pp14		Forever Young Real Steel	7.89	Yoshito Yahagi Ryusei Sakai	1st, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1	8-5
Last race		1st, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1
6 pp2		Intense for Me Fortify		Abdulaziz Meshref Camilo Ospina	1st, 2024 Carlos Pellegrini G1	66-1
Last race		1st, 2024 Carlos Pellegrini G1
7 pp9		Ramjet Majestic Warrior		Shozo Sasaki Kosei Miura	3rd, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1	25-1
Last race		3rd, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1
8 pp7		Rattle N Roll Connect	7.12	Kenny McPeek Joel Rosario	1st, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3	10-1
Last race		1st, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3
9 pp3		Romantic Warrior Acclamation	7.89	Danny Shum James McDonald	1st, 2025 Jebel Hatta G1	2-1
Last race		1st, 2025 Jebel Hatta G1
10 pp1		Ushba Tesoro Orfevre	7.62	Noboru Takagi Akira Sugawara	4th, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1	14-1
Last race		4th, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1
11 pp8		Wait to Excel Postponed		Thamer Aldaihani Adel Alfouraidi	2nd, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3	40-1
Last race		2nd, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3
12 pp6		Walk of Stars Dubawi	6.34	Bhupat Seemar Tadgh O’Shea	1st, 2025 Al Maktoum Challenge G1	20-1
Last race		1st, 2025 Al Maktoum Challenge G1
13 pp4		Wilson Tesoro Kitasan Black		Noboru Takagi Yuga Kawada	2nd, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1	40-1
Last race		2nd, 2024 Tokyo Daishoten G1
14 pp5		Wootton’Sun Wootton Bassett		Abdullah Mishref Al-Kahtani Ricardo Ferreira	3rd, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3	66-1
Last race		3rd, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3
15 ae		Scotland Yard Quality Road		Nicholas Bachalard Luis Morales	14th, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3	66-1
Last race		14th, 2025 Two Holy Mosques Cup G3