Romantic Warrior wins HK Triple Crown

HONG KONG – Romantic Warrior sealed his place among Hong Kong’s pantheon of equine immortals with triumph in the HK$13 million (S$2.1 million) Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin on May 24.

The world’s richest horse joins an elite band of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown before – River Verdon (1993/94) and Voyage Bubble (2024/25).

Claiming a HK$10 million Triple Crown Bonus, Romantic Warrior boosted his world-record prize-money earnings to HK$288.7 million for owner Peter Lau after the Acclamation eight-year-old overcame Numbers (Derek Leung) by half a length, with Deep Monster (Joao Moreira) a further length-and-a-half away in third in 2min 26.67sec – the same time Voyage Bubble recorded last season.

Winning trainer Danny Shum, who currently leads the trainers’ premiership on 56 winners, will give Romantic Warrior a well-earned spell before deciding on the champion’s racing future.

Shum was still pinching himself as he marvelled at the exceptional record that has now bulged to a 24th win and a record-extending 15th Group 1.

“I’m such a lucky guy, lucky trainer – because I can train Romantic Warrior,” he said.

“Before the race we already set up the plan, put him to sleep, let him relax and try to hit the front. He hit the line in the last 400m, so James (McDonald) has done a great job – he’s top class.”

Victory was, however, bittersweet for the Sydney champion jockey as he was later slapped for the equivalent of three Hong Kong meetings for breaching riding rules when he kept Deep Monster in limited galloping room from the 400m. HKJC