HONG KONG'S OUTSTANDING PROTOCOLS TO BE ADMIRED

By Graham Potter | Sunday, May 25, 2025

The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s stringent attention to detail is to be applauded at all times, but every now and then you get a reminder of just how thorough they are … and how well they look after their participants, both equine and human.

The club’s latest media release underlines that principle.

Today, at the HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions meeting Chater Cup, the Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior was due to be honoured during a special ceremony in Sha Tin’s Parade Ring where according to a previous media release by the Hing Kong Jockey Club … ‘Our global champion’s presence offers an opportunity for racing fans to pay tribute to his outstanding achievements and, jockey James McDonald will reunite with the horse in the Parade Ring, along with his connections.’

That ceremony will no longer take place as scheduled as explained by a further media release issued yesterday by the Hong Kong Jockey Club which reads:

‘The Club’s Veterinary Regulation, Welfare and Biosecurity Policy Department have provided advice on Romantic Warrior that the Club wishes to share with his many fans.

‘Romantic Warrior is currently spelling following his return from his races in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. The horse has returned to Hong Kong presenting extremely well and has not exhibited any signs of lameness or any other clinical issues.

‘Nevertheless, consistent with the Club’s world-class procedures for the care of our racehorses, a detailed physical examination has been carried out, including imaging using our veterinary hospital’s state-of-the-art equipment.

‘This proactive screening has enabled a very early detection of some potential changes in one of the horse’s joints. As a consequence of this systematic approach to ensuring horse welfare a management plan has been developed that will ensure that Romantic Warrior has an extremely good prognosis of such changes being fully addressed.

‘Whilst Romantic Warrior would not face any risk from the planned ceremony to welcome his return to Hong Kong the Club nevertheless believes that the ceremony is not a priority and so it will not be held (as scheduled).’

Romantic Warrior boasts a win in the 2023 Cox Plate amongst his many Group 1 successes, both at home and internationally,

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