Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
It was an emotional James McDonald, on the back of a record breaking Melbourne Cup week, who steered Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) to a 4.25l victory in the G2 Jockey Club Cup.
“He is an incredible horse, I love him to bits,” he enthused after the 6-year-old, at his first run since early June, recorded the 16th win of his 21 start career.
Romantic Warrior clears away in the G2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Not beaten since his G1 Turnbull S. fourth last spring, Romantic Warrior is already a major race winner in Australia and Japan and his connections have further international aims for the gelding who is due to be inoculated for a trip to the Middle East.
Describing him as “the heavy weight champion of the world,” McDonald said he was “so proud of him, he just never lets you down. I never really get nervous on him because he is so good, he has amazing will to win which is second to none, more than any other horse I've come across.”
“The heavy weight champion of the world... he (Romantic Warrior) just never lets you down. I never really get nervous on him because he is so good, he has amazing will to win... more than any other horse I've come across.” - James McDonald
“From barrier 1 you can get dictated to a bit but he is just so good he can get you out of situations that other horses can't.”
James McDonald aboard Romatic Warrior | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Trainer Danny Shum was delighted to see his champion in such easy winning form first up.
“He was off for five months so he was fresh. The fast pace helped him, he came out and hit the line strongly.”
Danny Shum | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Shum was being low key in regards to Romantic Warrior's crack at a record third G1 Hong Kong International Cup, noting that “I told James that December 8 will be a different story, it will be a much, much stronger race than today, there are so many good horses in the entries.”
But they will have to be good!
A star for the HKIR Sale
A star for the Hong Kong Jockey Club's international sale where he was purchased by his owner Peter Lau Pak Fai for HK$4.8 million (AU$955,000) in 2021, Romantic Warrior had been secured by the club for 300,000gns (AU$614,900) at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
The best son of (and one of 68 stakes winners for) the recently retired Acclamation, Romantic Warrior was bred by Corduff Stud and TJ Rooney. He is one of four winners for his winning dam Folk Melody (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) whose dam is the G1 EP Taylor S. winner Folk Opera (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}).
One of the best for Hayes
The G1 Hong Kong International Sprint was still in its infancy when David Hayes won it in 2002 with All Thrills Too (St Covet) and he heads to the race this year with one of the best he has trained, the exciting speedster Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}).
It was an eighth win from 10 starts for the 4-year-old who, despite being eased down by Zac Purton who had time to give a wave to fans as he crossed the line, broke the track record held by the star sprinter Sacred Kingdom (Encosta De Lago).
Only just beaten at his second and third outings with Hayes attributing those early defeats to immaturity, Ka Ying Rising has won seven in a row since and his latest success in the G2 Hong Kong Jockey Club Sprint is his third at Group level.
Ka Ying Rising (NZ) races clear in the G2 Hong Kong Jockey Club Sprint at Sha Tin on Sunday | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“It's getting scary now how good he is becoming, how easy he is doing it,” Zac Purton said, joking about his late salute by saying “I knew it was a track record so I thought I'd seal it with a kiss!”
“It's getting scary now how good he (Ka Ying Rising) is becoming, how easy he is doing it... I knew it was a track record so I thought I'd seal it with a kiss!” - Zac Purton
“That was a nice top up for the big one next month,” he said whilst David Hayes is excited.
“What I loved about him today was the way he came under Zac after forcing the issue early. From a trainer's point of view that gives me something to really look forward to, having a horse who relaxes in the run.”
“What I loved about him (Ka Ying Rising) today was the way he came under Zac after forcing the issue early. From a trainer's point of view that gives me something to really look forward to, having a horse who relaxes in the run.” - David Hayes
“All he has to do is hold his form,” he said when asked about the International Sprint. “And I can't see any reason why he won't.”
“Only 21 sleeps to go,” he laughed, “we are really looking forward to it.”
Hayes described Ka Ying Rising as “a late furnishing horse.”
“You look at some of the best Hong Kong horses and you can see that they are more furnished than him, there is plenty more to come.”
A bottomless pit
Hayes is taken by the gelding's movement. “He has that extra acceleration on race day, when its time to accelerate he ambles up an really lengths. He puts the race to bed very quickly, he is a bottomless pit at the moment.”
David Hayes | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“You have to be pretty good to break a course record at Sha Tin and it was a record held by a superstar. He is the horse they have to beat in December, they will have a big job to beat him.”
“You have to be pretty good to break a course record at Sha Tin and it was a record held by a superstar. He (Ka Ying Rising) is the horse they have to beat in December, they will have a big job to beat him.” - David Hayes
One of the 13 stakes winners for his G1 Newmarket H.-winning, Windsor Park Stud-based sire, Kai Ying Rising was bred by Grandmoral Lodge Racing. He is a descendant of the influential mare Taiona (NZ) (Sovereign Edition {Ire}), also ancestress of Lindsay Park's star Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) who may be venturing to Hong Kong next year.
He is the first of sadly only two foals for the metropolitan-placed five-time winner Missy Moo (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who died young in 2022, her only other dam a yet to be named Turn Me Loose (NZ) 3-year-old.
Under the name of Mr Express, Ka Ying Rising won two Flemington jump-outs in May/June last year.
One of Hong Kong's best milers
Also HKIR-bound is the G2 Hong Kong Jockey Club Mile winner Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) who ran second to Romantic Warrior in last year's International Cup, this time around heading for the G1 Hong Kong International Mile.
“He is one of the best milers in Hong Kong,” trainer Ricky Yiu enthused, happy to have won over a longer trip with him (last year's Listed Hong Kong Derby) but now content to keep him to 1600 metres.
Turning the tables on the short-priced favourite Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) (who did not have the best of runs out wide) having been third to him in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy first up, Voyage Bubble had pleased connections since.
“First up he was 75-80 per cent fit,” Yiu said, “and that race brought him on.”
“He still has something left to come,” he said, pleased to have his charge reunited the in-form James McDonald.
Ricky Yiu | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“James knows him really well,” he said.
“I thought his run the other day was probably just as good as the favourite,” McDonald said, “he just needed a bit of luck today and he got that. He is a tough horse who loves being in for a fight and he did a great job.”
Bred by Torryburn Stud and sold by them to the trainer for $380,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Voyage Bubble is one of the 36 stakes winners and four Group 1 winners for his now retired sire.
Voyage Bubble, winner of the G2 Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
He is one of the seven winners (from as many named foals) for the dual city winner Raheights (Rahy {USA}) whose daughter Diddums (Snitzel) won the G3 P.J Bell S.
Also dam of the stakes-placed Brettan (Commands), Raheights foaled a Home Affairs filly last month having had the previous four seasons off. She is a half-sister to the Listed Princess S. winner Moulin Lady (Reset) and the Listed Rockingham S. winner Bannock (Ire) (Bertolini {USA}).
Australian-bred horses dominate
It was a good day for Australian-bred horses with another six winners on the card.
The first of those was the Pierre Ng-trained Spicy Spangle (Headwater) who was able, at his ninth start, break his maiden.
Bred by Vinery Stud he was sold by them to Kendrick Racing for $130,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and by Blake Ryan Racing to the stable for $70,000 at the 2022 Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
He is the first foal for the maiden winner Beechal (Lonhro), a half-sister to the South African-based dual Group 3 winner Table Bay (Redoute's Choice) from the family of a Hong Kong topliner in Cape Of Good Hope (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) who successfully ventured to Melbourne and York to win Group 1 races.
The following race saw Zac Purton successful aboard the Chris So-trained Super Love Dragon (Real Impact {Jpn}), another horse recording his first victory.
One of two Gerry Harvey-bred winners on the card, he was sold by Baramul Stud to his owners for $25,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. He is one of the five winners (from as many to race) for the lightly raced (two placings from four starts) Yerbabuena (King Cugat {USA}), half-sister to the stakes-placed multiple city winners Pyramids (Anabaa {USA}) and Eminent Cheval (Mukaddamah {USA}).
Not served last year, Yerbabuena foaled an Anders filly last November and an Exceedance colt the year before. Her Star Turn 2-year-old was sold to the Philippines for $35,000 at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale.
The next winner, trained by Cody Mo, was Meowth (Showtime) whose 2l victory came at debut. Bred by D Koureas, he was sold by Goodwood Farm to Glencross Lodge for $8,000 at the 2022 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale and by the latter to Beamish Bloodstock for $30,000 at the 2022 Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale.
A descendant of the influential Dark Jewel (Star Kingdom {Ire}), he is one of only two foals (the other a Showtime filly foaled last year) for the Moonee Valley and Morphettville winner Avanti Rose (Ambidexter) who sadly died young.
A double for Gerry Harvey-bred horses
The second of the Gerry Harvey-bred winners, bred with Yarraman Park, was the Derek Leung-trained Markwin (I Am Invincible) who broke through for his first win having been in the placings at his first two starts.
A $550,000 graduate of the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, he made his way through their sale earlier this year where he fetched HK$2.2 million (AU$438,000).
He is the first of only three foals for the Group 2-placed Gosford maiden winner Mark Two (NZ) (Pins) whose John O'Shea and Tom Charlton trained 2-year-old Mark Of Glory (I Am Invincible) sold for $600,000 at this year's Magic Millions.
Mark Two, who sadly died last year, is a sister to the G3 Eulogy S. winner Whistling Dixie (NZ) (Pins) and the Listed-winning Hong Kong-based galloper Victory Magic (NZ) (Savabeel).
Later in the day saw wins recorded by Silvery Breeze (Dundeel {NZ}) and Young Superstar (Press Statement). Trained by David Eustace, the former was making his Hong Kong debut having raced on six occasions as Binotto for Anthony and Sam Freedman; winning a Geelong maiden in March.
Bred by Glentree Pastoral, he is a brother to the G3 JRA Cup winner Ain'tnodeeldun (Dundeel) out of the dual stakes winner Ain'tnofallenstar (Starcraft) whose dam Ain't Seen Nothin' (Nothin' Leica Dane) won three races at Listed level.
Boasting an interesting pedigree with his sire and dam both descendants of the famed matriarch Eulogy (GB) (Cicero {GB}), Silvery Breeze had a half-brother by Ole Kirk born in early September.
Bred by Colleen Buchanan, Bill Miller, Sid Collison and Judy Collison, Young Superstar recorded his second win from six Hong Kong starts. Sold by Burke Bloodstock to Jerome Tan for $45,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, he originally headed to Singapore where he won his only start in October last year. He is the second foal for the Cessnock maiden winner Rich Pickings (I Am Invincible).
The promising fast network
The New Zealand breed shone with Ka Ying Rising and was also represented earlier in the day by the promising Fast Network (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}). The Dennis Yip-trained gelding ridden by Zac Purton has won three of his four starts.
Bred by K A Gillovic, he was sold by Highview to Wexford Stables for $30,000 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 2). Originally named Donnie Malone, he won a Te Rapa trial in October last year.
He is a half-brother to the multiple city winner Thunder (NZ) (Niagara) out of Alberta (Magic Albert), a half-sister to the Listed winner Gustavo (NZ) (Savabeel) out of the Listed winner Fiorenza (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) from the family of Pompeii Court (USA) and Aquis Farm's The Mission.
The day's other winner Bravehearts (Arg) (Cityscape {GB}), a member of the Mark Newnham stable, has won two in a row. A Group 1 winner in Argentina as The Punisher, he hails from the same branch of the Pretty Polly (GB) (Gallinule) as Nearctic (Can).
