Romantic Warrior Wins First Leg of HK Derby Series

Romantic Warrior took a big step toward potential stardom with a rallying victory Jan. 30 in the Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse—the first leg of the series that leads to the BMW Hong Kong Derby.

It was a textbook effort by jockey Karis Teetan and the 4-year-old son of Acclamation .

Breaking from the inside post in a field of 14, Romantic Warrior skimmed the rail, well positioned but well back of the early speed, as he raced down the riverside backstretch. Turning into the straight, Teetan was boxed behind pacesetter California Spangle, with traffic to his outside.

Once he found a narrow opening midway down the lane, Romantic Warrior kicked into gear, eased outside California Spangle, and ran on to win more convincingly than the half-length margin would indicate. The Irishman was third as the 3-1 favorite in a wide-open field, Packing Victory, faded to get home last.

"He's a lovely horse," Teetan said. "He's actually a really nice horse. He had the draw and I think it helped him. I just wanted to follow California Spangle and I knew he would take me into the race. But when this horse got the clear run, he really let down and I think he's got a very bright future.

"Man, the last 100 meters, when he got a clear run, he gave me a really good feel."

Romantic Warrior completed the distance in 1:33.80 on good turf.

Trainer Danny Shum said he will consult with owner Peter Lau but the second leg of the 4-year-old Classic Series, the Feb. 27 Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles), is the next logical target. Success there would open the door to a run in the March 20 Hong Kong Derby—the race that's No. 1 on the "to do" list of local owners.

The list of Hong Kong Derby winners who have gone on to stardom is long and arguably topped by Golden Sixty, the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year and co-rated the world's best miler.

The victory was doubly pleasing to the Hong Kong Jockey Club as Romantic Warrior, out of the Street Cry  mare Folk Melody, was purchased for 300,000 guineas (US$396,948) by the HKJC from Corduff Stud during Book 2 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, then acquired by Lau for HK$4.8 million (about US$618,000) at the 2021 Hong Kong International Sale.

As Hong Kong currently lacks a breeding industry, the Club uses overseas acquisitions for its annual sale as a means to inject quality prospects into the local horse population.

Now undefeated after five starts, two of them at the iconic, in-town Happy Valley Racecourse, Romantic Warrior has earned HK$10.4 million (about US$1.3 million).

"First of all, I would like to thank the Hong Kong Jockey Club to put this horse in the International Sale," Shum said. "Mr. Peter Lau, the owner, he trusted me because I really wanted to buy this horse.

"This horse is very easy to control and he's got a big heart. When he hits the front, he likes to win. He's not a big horse but he's good enough. He's happy and he's healthy, so he performs very well."

In the day's second feature, Vision Syndicate's Zebrowski scored a hard-fought win in the Centenary Vase Handicap (G3) under Matthew Poon. He completed the 1,800 meters in 1:46.63. Trainer Caspar Fownes said that might be enough to get the 5-year-old Savabeel  gelding a spot in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) next month.

"He's stepping up to every task," Fownes said, "and sometimes you have to throw them in the deep end a little bit, out of their comfort zone, rating-wise."

The trainer said visiting the HKJC's Conghua Racecourse training facilities on the Chinese mainland has been valuable in getting Zebrowski fighting fit.