By Alan Carasso
Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), winner of five Group 1 races in three different jurisdictions in 2023-2024, was named Hong Kong's Horse of the Year during a black-tie ceremony held Friday evening in the Grand Ballroom of the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong.
The human connections of the champion 4-year-old and two-time champion middle distance horse–owner Peter Lau and trainer Danny Shum–made the G1 W S Cox Plate their early-season objective and the 300,000gns Tattersalls October graduate was a sound fourth in the G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington before willing himself to the wire to just touch off Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars {Aus}) in Australia's weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley in late October.
His battling qualities were on full display in his next three runs at Sha Tin, each over his pet distance of 2000 metres. Just able to hold off a resurgent Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in defence of his title in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December, he defeated fellow Hong Kong Derby hero Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) to take out the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup in February and overcame dreadful underfoot conditions and a torrid trip to best Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) for an unprecedented third straight success in the G1 FWD QE II Cup in late April.
Despite a demanding campaign, Romantic Warrior pressed on to the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo June 2, defeating G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile third and G1 Dubai Turf runner-up Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) by a half-length. His five Group 1 wins in a single season is a record for a Hong Kong horse.
Romantic Warrior, who was sold to Lau for HK$4.8 million at the Hong Kong International Sale in 2021, was also named champion middle-distance horse for the third straight season and is within shouting distance of becoming the richest horse in Hong Kong history.
That record is currently held by Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), the three-time defending Horse of the Year, whose breathtaking victory off an April layoff in the Hong Kong Mile was deemed enough to earn him champion miler honours for the fourth consecutive year. He failed to handle the easy ground in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in April, but remains in training with an eye on a fourth Hong Kong Mile in December.
California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was named champion sprinter after belying odds of 10-1 to win the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Stakes (1400m) before getting the better of Godolphin's Star of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) to give Hong Kong another victory on foreign soil in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in March. California Spangle, an €150,000 Goffs Orby yearling, is trained by Tony Cruz, who also conditions Five G Patch (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), the season's champion stayer on the strength of runner-up efforts in the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap and behind Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup, both over the 2400 metres.
Pierre Ng is involved in a pitched battle for champion trainer with his former boss Francis Lui, and Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) was a major contributing force to the second-season conditioner's success. A cracking runner-up in the Queen's Silver Jubilee, he was audaciously handed a BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) entry and all but won it, missing by a neck behind former Ballydoyle runner Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never). Galaxy Patch's versatility was on full display in winning the G3 Lion Rock Trophy Handicap (1600m) June 2 and the G3 Premier Plate Handicap over 1800 metres June 23.
The David Hayes-trained Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) was named champion griffin and most improved horse, with five wins and two seconds from seven starts, including a victory in the G3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap June 2. During the season he rose from the debut mark of 52 to 111.
The season's Champion Trainer, Champion Jockey, Tony Cruz Award, Most Popular Jockey and Most Popular Horse will be announced at the conclusion of Sunday's 88th and final fixture this season at Sha Tin.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR IS HORSE OF THE YEAR! 💙
🏆 2023 G1 W.S Cox Plate
🏆 2023 G1 @LONGINES Hong Kong Cup
🏆 2024 G1 @Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup
🏆 2024 G1 FWD QEII Cup
🏆 2024 G1 Yasuda Kinen#SeasonFinale | #HKracing | #競馬 pic.twitter.com/YQOOrahzCk— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 12, 2024
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
