Champion jockey James McDonald has described Romantic Warrior as “bullet proof” after the star galloper secured a fourth victory in the Group 1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The Danny Shum-trained champion reaffirmed his position among the world’s elite middle-distance horses, taking his tally to 14 Group 1 wins while pushing his record earnings to HK$271.46 million.
Romantic Warrior now boasts an outstanding career record of 23 wins and five placings from 30 starts for owner Peter Lau.
Record broken! 💥
ROMANTIC WARRIOR wins his fourth G1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin! @mcacajamez pic.twitter.com/WCDl5DqHb2
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) April 26, 2026
Purchased for HK$4.8 million at the 2021 Hong Kong International Sale, the gelding has been particularly dominant at Sha Tin, winning 14 of his 15 starts over 2000m, including four editions of the Hong Kong Cup and a Hong Kong Derby.
In Sunday’s feature, Romantic Warrior settled in fourth position behind a moderate early tempo set by Numbers and Giovanni before tracking into the race smoothly.
As the pace lifted from the 800m, he responded instantly, surging to the lead at the 300m and quickly putting the result beyond doubt.
Stopping the clock in 2:00.64, he recorded a strong final 400m sectional of 21.91 seconds to defeat Masquerade Ball by a length, with Sosie another half-length away in third.
McDonald paid tribute to the horse following the performance.
“It’s just an honour to be riding a horse like him,” McDonald said. “It makes a jockey’s life so easy. He makes things happen which other horses don’t and that’s why he has got the record that he has got.
“He is just bullet proof, really. Over this 10-furlong (race), he just starts well, puts himself in a good spot, rests when he has to rest and then shows an incredible turn of foot.
“I thought the opposition today was very warranted and had great respect for it and was actually quite worried about it with that Masquerade Ball. I thought he was incredible, and he is one of the best in Japan.
“His run in the Japan Cup (G1, 2400m) was nothing short of incredible. We had great respect for him today, and if he was ever going to get beaten, it was a horse like that.
“He (Romantic Warrior) feels enormous. I take my hat off to Danny and his team and they are just simply incredible.
“It’s probably the best he has ever looked. He just looked so unbelievably well, and he is so relaxed. In Dubai and Saudi, he was really worked up, and even in his work, he was worked up.
“It’s a dream come true and he is a dream come true and I pinch myself every time I hop on him.”
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