Danny Shum Chap-shing hopes Sunday’s BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) will be the perfect springboard for what shapes as another monumental campaign for his superstar Romantic Warrior.

Romantic Warrior collected five Group One wins in three different countries during his unprecedented 2023-24 season and bids to make a perfect return in this weekend’s HK$5.35 million contest.

The son of Acclamation is set to jump from the inside gate under Kiwi ace James McDonald – who begins his short-term contract in the city this weekend – with his handler confirming it’s all systems go ahead of an exciting season.

“He is good and he’s had a lot of preparation,” Shum said. “Hugh [Bowman] rode him for his trials and we had very positive reports.

“He’s so easy to manage. He always eats well and if I scope him 100 times, every time he’s clean. I’m very happy with him.

“When he does trackwork, he does it very easily, but when he gets to the turf and goes into the barrier, he is very serious and always tries his best.”

Romantic Warrior has won over HK$151 million in prize money – just HK$15 million short of Golden Sixty’s world record – and looks all but certain to surpass the retired miler providing he stays sound.

Romantic Warrior became the first Hong Kong-trained winner of the Group One Cox Plate (2,040m) in October last year and capped his latest campaign with a sublime victory in June’s Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) at Tokyo racecourse.

He also triumphed in three elite-level races on home soil, with a second Hong Kong Cup, maiden Gold Cup and third QE II Cup added to his ever-growing trophy collection over a mile and a quarter.

“He gave me some very happy memories and we all need to thank Romantic Warrior, really,” Shum said. “He’s such a tough horse.

“The only thing is, I always forget that he’s a six-year-old. I always think he’s a three-year-old.

“Of course, he’s not [100 per cent]. But, to be honest, his condition is much better than when he went to Melbourne in the early part of last season.

“He didn’t know the climate and it was a bit strange for him, but now he’s stayed in Hong Kong, he’s really enjoyed it.”

While Romantic Warrior will have to concede five pounds to all of his rivals as a Group One winner in the past 12 months, Shum is confident his quality will shine in the 11-runner field.

“The horse is happy, the jockey is on top form and there’s not a really strong field, so I’m confident he can run a good race,” Shum said.

Sunday’s Group Two contest kicks off an audacious campaign for Romantic Warrior, where he could enter uncharted territory on the dirt in the Middle East.

After his recent trial on the all-weather at Sha Tin, Shum mapped out the season for Romantic Warrior, with the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) and Group One Dubai World Cup (2,000m) pinpointed as his main targets.

“We’ve got the plan to send him to Dubai and Saudi, so I wanted to trial him on the dirt with the pacifiers and see if it helps,” Shum said.

“Romantic Warrior is very special and the Saudi Cup is the most important race for him. Maybe he cannot win, but if he runs in the first four, it will be a huge achievement.”

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