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Year in Review Santa Anita opening day HK Cup Entries Hong Kong Cup works Hollywood Derby Day |
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 James McDonald celebrates after winning the Hong Kong Cup aboard Romantic Warrior three years in a row. |
The Longines Hong Kong International Races are the richest horse races run in Hong Kong, and is the last major race day for Thoroughbred flat racing anywhere in the world. Billed as the "Turf World Championships," four Group 1 races were contested on Sunday afternoon over the right-handed 1 3/16 mile turf oval at Sha Tin Racecourse. Conditions were ideal for racing for the 69,916 fans in attendance, with partly cloudy skies, a daytime high of 20 C (68 F), and the turf going good. Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said, "I personally think it was one of the best, if not the best, LONGINES Hong Kong International Races and an incredible week. Starting with the LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship, it was an amazing success. I want to thank our tremendous teams because of the work they do behind the scenes to make Hong Kong such a wonderful place to visit and to be able to connect to the world as a vibrant, world-class city."
Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Director of Racing Andrew Harding added, "[This was] an amazing day of sport, capping an amazing week of sport. The emphasis was on international. We were so pleased to see the entries from so many countries, including for the first time for a little while from Australia, and the quality of the entries was outstanding – I would like to acknowledge our team in achieving that. We saw today of the 80,000 people who came to the races here at Sha Tin and also Happy Valley, so many of those people were from all over the world. Of the many things we work at the Club, it is putting Hong Kong on the world stage. We are always excited to stage events of the quality we have seen this week for our partner, LONGINES and I would like to thank the many teams at the Club who have worked so hard to make this week a success."
In the main event, a field of 11 older horses contested the HK$40 million (US$5.14 million) Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) at 2000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) on the turf. 2022 and 2023 champion Romantic Warrior was sent off as the 1-10 favorite, looking for the three-peat off a 6 race win streak dating back to the 2023 Cox Plate (G1) and including the Yasuda Kinen (G1). In to challenge him included 8-1 second choice Liberty Island, third in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) but 13th in the Tenno Sho Autumn (G1), and 13-1 third choice Tastiera, winner of the Japanese Derby (G1) but second in the Tenno Sho Autumn (G1) last out.
Jockey Wayne Lordan sent 59-1 Wingspan to the lead first time by through fractions of 26.34, 50.45, and 1:14.15 while pressed by Tastiera and stalked by 95-1 Encountered. Turning for home, Romantic Warrior, 4th early under James McDonald, came out for room and took over through 1 mile in 1:37.84. Kept to task by McDonald, Romantic Warrior easily held off late-running Liberty Island to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 2:00.51. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Tastiera third.
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# Horse Jockey Win Place 1 Romantic Warrior McDonald 2.10 2.10 9 Liberty Island Kawada 3.20 4 Tastiera Lane 4.30 Winning Time: 2:00.51 $2 Quinella 1-9 5.20 $2 Exacta 1-9 6.70 $2 Trifecta 1-9-4 20.00Results Chart from HKJC with video replay |
Left: Romantic Warrior in the winner's circle after the Hong Kong Cup. Winning jockey James McDonald said, "That was unbelievable, I'm so proud of this horse. He's just been remarkable and it's some effort by Danny (Shum, trainer) and his team."
Right: Romantic Warrior heads back to the barn in his winner's blanket. Winning trainer Danny Shum said, "He was confident and full of energy. I stayed in the stables the whole time, I didn't want to go out to talk too much. I work hard, I love my team and my team has done a great job."
Left: Romantic Warrior heads out to the track before the race. McDonald added, "The Japanese (horses) put it to him but with no luck. He's the best, forget the rest, he's the best. He's been flying and anyone could ride him because he's that easy but I'm the lucky one. He's the horse of a lifetime. This was our moment to create history and it felt like I was lining up for the winning kick for the All Blacks. It was a ‘pinch-me' moment."
Right: All the connections and officials pose with the trophy and winner's banner after the trophy presentation for the Hong Kong Cup. Shum said he would go next in the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup. "He's the best, but I have to take another bigger challenge to go to Dubai and Saudi Arabia, just because I haven't been to Dubai for 25 years. At that time, I was assistant trainer for Mr. Ivan Allan, I had a new experience. I will make sure the team that go there are in the best form. The owner Mr. Peter Lau said it's a once in a life chance to take the challenge in Saudi Arabia for the top prize-money in the world. We are experimenting with dirt but I've tried him in an all-weather trial with a pacifier and he was quite good."
Left: Second place finisher Liberty Island enters the track for the post parade. Jockey Yuga Kawada said, "It was a good run. She kept focused and concentrated. She put in a good finish but the winner is very strong."
Right: Third place finisher Tastiera enters the track for the post parade. Jockey Damian Lane said, "He ran great. He did all the work on the speed and gave it a good kick, but a couple with fresh legs ran him down. He was very good."
James McDonald and Romantic Warrior parade for the fans after winning the Hong Kong Cup. Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said, "When you look at the sporting performances, Romantic Warrior is the best 2000m horse in the world. It was an absolutely dominant performance, he showed that he is absolutely world-class and to win this race for the third time is an incredible effort. He has now broken the world prizemoney record of Golden Sixty with total prizemoney of HK$177 million (US$22.75), which is an amazing achievement."
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