Champion jockey issues ominous sign for Saudi Cup rivals
Saying that Romantic Warrior is in career best form is a something many would find hard to believe given the heights that Hong Kong’s pin-up galloper has reached so far, but James Mcdonald thinks his star performer is just that towards the world’s richest race on Saturday.
Romantic Warrior will be Hong Kong’s first runner in Saudi Arabia and the hot favourite for US$20 million (AU$31.5 million) Group 1 Saudi Cup will be shooting to join an honour roll that includes winners from the USA, Japan and Great Britain.
“Every time I sit on him I feel like he’s unbeatable,” McDonald said after the ten-time winner at the highest level drew barrier three for the 1800-metre event.
“It is a special thing to experience.”
The overhanging question of whether the seven-year-old will handle racing on the dirt for the time has loomed strongly throughout the Saudi Cup preparation that included a last start win on turf in Dubai in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) on January 24..
“He’ll be fine but until the kick-back happens we won’t know,” he said.
“He trains on dirt his whole life in Hong Kong and obviously this (under race conditions) is a little bit different.”
“He’s moving well, and I think his wellbeing is perfect and that is all we can ask.”
Though more could be made of the change in surface, McDonald takes further confidence in the levels that connections are willing to reach for with a horse that he describes as nothing less than phenomenal.
“Danny (Shum) and Peter (Lau) are ambitious and they’ve got a great horse – a champion horse – and so they should be,” McDonald said.
“He’s never shied away from a big task and jumped those hurdles.
“The Cox Plate, Japan, Dubai, and now hopefully Saudi.”
Of his main rivals, Japanese pair Ushba Tesoro drew the inside gate while Forever Young – trained by Yoshito Yahagi – drew the outside barrier 14.
Yahagi is aiming to maintain a perfect record in Saudi Arabia having had four runners for as many winners including Panthalasa’s victory in the 2023 Saudi Cup.
“I don’t have any concerns about the gates inside or outside,” Yahagi said.
“But I prefer the outside.”
