Saudi Arabia will be the next stop on the indomitable Romantic Warrior’s world tour, although a potential Lunar New Year-generated delay has trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing somewhat puzzled.
After blitzing a quality Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) field in Dubai on Friday night to further cement his status as an all-time great, Romantic Warrior has been booked to fly to Saudi Arabia on February 7 ahead of the US$20 million Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on February 22.
“I’ve booked a flight on February 7 but the Saudi racing club say they cannot promise [anything] because of Chinese New Year,” said Shum.
“I don’t know why Chinese New Year impacts that but I cannot control it. Maybe there are a lot of goods, a lot of people [being transported]. They said I have to wait.
“I will go to Saudi two weeks before [the race], I think – before the horse goes to Saudi, I will be in Saudi already.”
Romantic Warrior has done everything his ultra-ambitious connections have asked of him – winning in Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and now the United Arab Emirates – but saluting on the dirt in Saudi Arabia would perhaps mark the greatest single achievement from a Hong Kong horse.
“Good question,” said Shum when asked how the world’s highest earning racehorse will go on the dirt.
“He trials good on the dirt in Hong Kong, but trials are trials and races are races. But I like that owner Peter Lau [Pak-fai] said ‘once in your life, we should try’, so I will try my best for the Saudi Cup.”
James McDonald has been in the saddle for nine of Romantic Warrior’s 10 Group One wins – a Hong Kong record he now shares with Golden Sixty – but even he has no idea what to expect in Saudi.
“Your guess is as good as mine because I really don’t know,” said the star Kiwi jockey.
“It’s foreign territory for him – a different surface – but one thing I do know is that he will try his best and he will give a great sight. Whether he can win, I’m not too sure but I wouldn’t swap him for anything.”
After the Saudi Cup, Romantic Warrior will return to the UAE for Dubai World Cup night in April, but Shum remains unsure whether he will tackle the Group One Dubai World Cup (2,000m) on dirt or the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m).
“It’s hard to tell – it all depends how he finishes in the Saudi Cup. We have to find the best one for the horse. If he runs in the Dubai Turf, I think he has a very good chance of winning,” he said.
