Romantic Warrior was a whirlwind at Sha Tin and is now within reach of the Triple Crown

The superstar reached his twelfth G1 victory by capturing the Steward's Cup in Hong Kong, over one mile on the turf

Romantic Warrior, the King in Hong Kong / HKJC

SHA TIN, Hong Kong (Special for Turf Diario).— There are horses that transcend statistics to become living legends, and Romantic Warrior reaffirmed this once again this Sunday on the Sha Tin turf. The son of Acclamationdelivered a true masterclass in superiority to claim the Stewards’ Cup (G1) over 1,600 meters, marking a blistering start in his quest for the elusive Hong Kong Triple Crown.

The 12th G1 victory for Danny Shum’s pupil began to take shape long before crossing the wire. With 400 meters to go, the image of the race was eloquent: James McDonald sat completely motionless in the saddle, gauging leader Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse) with absolute confidence, while defending champion Voyage Bubble (Deep Field)exhausted himself in a three-wide path, unsuccessfully trying to make up ground.

After drawing level with the leader for a brief stretch, McDonald released the brakes, and Romantic Warrior’sresponse was immediate. With an electrifying turn of foot, the 8-year-old bay pulled away from the field with astonishing ease. Lucky Sweynesse held his position to finish as runner-up, 1 3/4 lengths back, delivering an outstanding effort in his mile debut, while Voyage Bubble had to settle for third place.

“His courage and will to win are inexhaustible,” declared an emotional James McDonald, who regularly travels from Australia solely to pilot the horse he defines as “the horse of his life.” The jockey highlighted the tactical intelligence of the trip: “Starting from post 7, we could wait for the race to settle. I knew Voyage Bubble was coming on the outside and I wasn’t going to give him anything. Riding a thoroughbred of this caliber is a privilege.”

Romantic Warrior, currently ranked seventh in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, now boasts an impressive record of 21 wins from 28 starts. With this victory, his earnings soar to the stratospheric figure of HK$ 247.38 million, solidifying his position as the richest horse in the history of local turf.

After a 2024/25 campaign focused on international commitments, his team decided for this 2026 season to aim for absolute domestic dominance. The goal is to match the feats of River Verdon (Be My Native) and Voyage Bubblehimself, the only ones capable of completing the Triple Crown.

The next step in this mission will be on March 1st in the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) over 2,000 meters—the distance where the champion feels most comfortable. The trilogy is scheduled to conclude on May 24th with the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (G1) over 2,400 meters.

“He can handle 1,600, 2,000, and even 2,400 meters; there is no distance that can stop him,” stated trainer Danny Shum. “My job now is to keep him healthy and happy; he does the rest on his own.” The first step has been taken, and the racing world awaits the definitive consecration of the Romantic Warrior.