Racing
Romantic Warrior and James McDonald re-unite for another big day in the sun
He’s robot-like, very smart, and can-do things others can’t.
It sounds like some new "'Artificial Intelligence" program but this is how champion jockey James McDonald describes Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior.
In the build-up to the Group 1 $HK13 million Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, McDonald gave an insight into why Romantic Warrior is one of the world's elite racehorses.
McDonald has been on Romantic Warrior 17 times for 14 wins including 11 at Group 1 level and said the Danny Shum-trained gelding is the best horse he has ridden.
"Romantic Warrior is like a dead-set robot,'' McDonald told Racing And Sports.
"He's just a very, very good horse, he can do anything in a race, and he's the smartest horse I've ever worked with.''
McDonald, who rides unbeaten mare Autumn Glow in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday before catching an overnight flight to Hong Kong, then revealed an example of Romantic Warrior's "intelligence" and acute race sense.
"In Hong Kong, when the gates are about to open and the starter has the flashing light, 'Romantic' looks at them and switches on, like he knows when the gates are opening,'' McDonald said.
"Then he just comes out of the barriers like an 'Oakleigh Plater', puts himself in a position and goes to 'sleep' for me.
"When I ask him, he goes again – he's so durable.''
Romantic Warrior is an eight-year-old gelding but has had only 28 starts for 21 wins and is chasing a 13th Group 1 win on Sunday.
McDonald said "time" hasn't caught up with Romantic Warrior who is unbeaten this season including dominant wins in his fourth successive Longines Hong Kong International Cup and a last start success in the Stewards' Cup.
"He's an eight-year-old now and he's going as well as ever,'' he said.
"But he's such a champion racehorse and they can do things that others can't.''
Romantic Warrior is the world's greatest-ever prizemoney winner with $US31.5 million ($HK247 million) and will be at very short odds to enhance his already phenomenal race record.
The Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup has attracted six runners including defending champ Voyage Bubble, a horse McDonald knows very well having ridden him to five Group 1 wins.
Voyage Bubble, who has Hong Kong's premier jockey Zac Purton in the saddle, tuned up for Sunday's big race with a stylish barrier trial at Sha Tin last week, defeating Romantic Warrior and another Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup rival, My Wish.
The Mark Newnham-trained My Wish lines up with Hugh Bowman in the saddle, while Beauty Joy, Ensued and Winning Wing complete the field.
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