ROMANTIC WARRIOR COMPLETES HONG KONG DERBY DERBY / QE 11 CUP DOUBLE

By Hong Kong Jockey Club (Leo Schlink) | Sunday, April 24, 2022

Surging into history with another remarkable performance, Romantic Warrior has capped an unlikely ascent from obscurity to stardom for Danny Shum and Karis Teetan with a stunning HK$25 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) victory at Sha Tin on Sunday (24 April).

Joining Werther (2016), Designs On Rome (2014), Ambitious Dragon (2011) and Vengeance Of Rain (2005) in completing the Hong Kong Derby-QEII Cup double, Romantic Warrior crowned an unlikely advance – in the space of eight fleeting starts – from Class 4 company at Happy Valley in October to G1 success today against Hong Kong’s elite stayers.

Selected by former Irish champion jockey Michael Kinane from the 2019 Tattersalls Sale at Newmarket on behalf of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Romantic Warrior was purchased by owner Peter Lau for HK$4.8 million last year at the 2021 Hong Kong International Sale.

With his seventh victory, the son of Acclamation boosted his prize money earnings to an imposing HK$39.96 million – a figure bolstered by a top-up bonus of HK$900,000 for his latest conquest, a scintillating two-length success over Tourbillon Diamond and Panfield in 2m 00.13s.

Cosseted away from trouble in fourth place behind a stop-start tempo to the 800m mark, Romantic Warrior angled into clear running in the straight and was never seriously challenged, powering over the final 400m in 22.62s to seal a wondrous first-season.

For Teetan, it was a perfect bookend to an already glorious week.

“It’s been a great week with my little baby girl (Isabelle) being born on Tuesday, so all my focus was going into her. I was trying to be a daddy and also put my focus into the racing,” the Mauritian said. “He’s an amazing horse, well done to the team.

“The Derby was very special for all of us. This race we thought was a good plan with no international horses coming but we had in mind that he’s a bit younger than the other horses – but he’s better than all of them so he proved what kind of horse he is today. “Danny and his team have done a great job.”

Renowned as a horseman with a keen eye for the smallest detail, Shum was adamant at his first inspection of Romantic Warrior at last year’s Hong Kong International Sale that he was clearly the best lot on offer.

“I feel great and happy to see the horse steadily improve and I’ve always loved his manner, but his manner is getting better and better,” Shum said. “He’s very easy to train. He’s a very nice horse. He’s a superstar.

“He’s surprised me. When I bought him for Mr Peter Lau, I thought he was a nice horse – that’s all I could say. I thought in the Hong Kong International Sale he was the best horse but I didn’t know how good he was.

“I’m very happy for the owner, he has encouraged me to do better and better.”

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