Photograph: Hong Kong Jockey Membership
Romantic Warrior turned the primary horse to win 4 Hong Kong Cups when he received the Grade 1 race at Sha Tin on Sunday as a part of a day dominated by Hong Kong-based horses on the Hong Kong Worldwide Races.
Romantic Warrior, skilled by Danny Shum and ridden by James MacDonald, scored a commanding victory, taking his profession winnings to HK$240 million. The win capped a dominating run in three main races by what Hong Kong Jockey Membership CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges dubbed the jurisdiction’s “three kings” – Romantic Warrior, Automobile Inn Rising and Voyage Bubble, who repeated their G1 profitable streak beginning final yr.
“It is wonderful that the horse Romantic Warrior has received the Hong Kong Cup for the fourth time, and in such emphatic fashion, as this has by no means occurred earlier than in historical past,” mentioned coach Engelbrecht Bresges. “Danny Shum and James McDonald are an incredible staff with this champion horse.”
Automobile In Rising received the Hong Kong Dash (G1) with coach David Hayes and jockey Zac Parton in what Engelbrecht-Bresges described as a historic efficiency.
“I name this horse ‘Poetry in Motion’. I believe he is the perfect horse I’ve ever seen, at the least in sprints,” Engelbrecht-Bresges mentioned. “He isn’t from this planet. The way in which he dominated out of the gate and had different world-class horses trailing behind him was extraordinary.”
Voyage Bubble received the Hong Kong Mile (G1) beneath trainers Ricky Yiu and Pluton, turning into the third horse in Hong Kong horse racing historical past to win the regional triple crown. He bounced again to catch Japan’s Soul Rush, who defeated Romantic Warrior in Dubai earlier this yr, within the ultimate 50 meters.
“The extraordinary enthusiasm and dedication he confirmed in attempting to catch Soul Rush with 50 meters to go was wonderful,” Engelbrecht-Bresges mentioned. “Congratulations Zack and Ricky.”
France’s Saucier received the Hong Kong Verse (G1), skilled by Andre Favre, who celebrated his birthday earlier this week, giving him the one worldwide win on the cardboard. Final yr’s winner of Verses, Javelot, got here in second, repeating the order through which each horses completed on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
“We noticed the winner Sosie being an incredible stayer and an excellent vase,” Engelbrecht-Bresges mentioned. “I wish to categorical my gratitude to Mr. Andre Fabre, who’s celebrating his birthday this week. Hopefully this will likely be a small birthday current for him and his spouse who was right here.”
Engelbrecht-Bresges identified that this success was because of the Hong Kong horse inhabitants of 1,350, representing 0.7% of the world’s horse racing inventory.
“For us, it’s very satisfying to have a horse of this class,” he mentioned. “I’d additionally prefer to pay tribute to the three trainers for his or her glorious coaching performances. It’s pleasing to see two homegrown skills in a position to succeed on the highest stage.”
The variety of individuals was 48,494, together with a file 13,370 from abroad and mainland China, double the whole variety of occasions final yr. Vacationers from the mainland reached practically 10,000, a rise of greater than 50% from 2023. Greater than 110,000 vacationers visited Sha Tin this season.
“I consider this was top-of-the-line days in Hong Kong horse racing,” Engelbrecht-Bresges mentioned. “The Worldwide Jockeys Championship (Wednesday, December 10) was an incredible prelude, however Sunday was absolutely the fruits of what we anticipated.”
Andrew Harding, govt director of horse racing on the Hong Kong Jockey Membership, praised the group’s collaborative efforts.
“There is a saying that Winfried coined a number of years in the past: ‘One membership, one staff, one imaginative and prescient,’ and the Hong Kong Worldwide Races embodies that,” Harding mentioned. “This yr has attracted a really uncommon stage of worldwide consideration.”
Covers the complete Hong Kong Thoroughbred season. horse racing nation This occasion was made attainable by means of sponsorship by the Hong Kong Jockey Membership.
