Romantic Warrior prevails by a head in Hong Kong Derby

Romantic Warrior has forged into Hong Kong Derby history as the first triumphant graduate of the Hong Kong International Sale. He crowned a meteoric rise by snaring the US$3.06 million race with dramatic victory over California Spangle at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The Irish-bred, 4-year-old Acclamation gelding edged California Spangle by a head after a desperate battle between the two highest-rated horses in the field. Money Catcher was third, 2 1/4 lengths away. The winning time was 2:00.23 for the 1 1/4 miles on turf.

“(Romantic Warrior) deserved to win the Derby, he is a very honest horse and very consistent. Karis did a great job, so I’m very happy,” Shum said. “The second horse California Spangle also ran very good. The pace was strong, and he was still fighting on the line.”

As Romantic Warrior emerged from the ruck to challenge California Spangle in the straight, Shum retained complete faith in his mount.

“I thought he could run very well in the Derby after the Classic Cup,” Shum said. “He was four-wide but still finished fourth. It was a good run and he learned a big lesson. I was confident going into the Derby. Because he’s an easy ride, he doesn’t fight during the races. If it’s a good pace, he doesn’t fight. If it’s a slow pace, he can go a little bit further forward.”

Shum will now attempt to emulate the deeds of fellow Derby winners Vengeance Of Rain in 2005, Ambitious Dragon in 2011, Designs On Rome in 2014 and Werther in 2016 and win QEII Cup (G1) at Sha Tin on April 24.

“My next plan is the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, because there are no overseas horses coming, and it’s the right time for him to fight the experienced horses,” Shum said. “He can still improve this horse. If he wins, I’ll be happy. But if he runs in the first three or four, I think it will be a good lesson for him to improve himself.”

Romantic Warrior took his career earnings to $3,169,720 with his sixth win from seven starts.  He provided Shum with his first success in Hong Kong’s most coveted race after placing second with Thumbs Up in 2009 and second with Playa Del Puente in 2020.

The winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile in January, Romantic Warrior has had only one unplaced run. That came when caught wide finishing fourth behind California Spangle in the 1 1/8-mile Hong Kong Classic Cup last month.

Romantic Warrior was bought at the June 2021 sale for $613,494 by owner Peter Lau on trainer Danny Shum’s recommendation. He originally had been selected out of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by former champion Irish jockey Michael Kinane.

Revealing he had told Lau that Romantic Warrior was the only sale entry who had taken his eye during inspections, Shum said the bay gelding was the standout.

“Actually, the CEO (Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges) also said to me in the stable, ‘This is the right one’, so we picked the same horse,” Shum said. “Thank you to the owner Peter Lau for really supporting the ISG Sale. He always says, ‘You can buy me a good horse, but don’t buy me the wrong horse.’

“He had a good conformation and he had a very good action. I watched him every day at the ISG stable, and I watched all of the horses, and he was the only one to catch my eye, so I love him. I told Peter, ‘He’s the only one. Buy this one.’”

For jockey Karis Teetan, victory delivered redemption for last season’s narrow defeat aboard Russian Emperor behind Sky Darci.

“This is big for me. Last year was a big pill to swallow when we didn’t win the race. I’ve learned a lot from that race, and it’s toughened me up. Here in Hong Kong you learn from your mistakes, and you move forward,” the Mauritian rider said. “When the draw (post 8) came out, I was not too concerned, because he has the gate speed. I just forgot what people were saying about the last run. I knew the horse I had underneath me, and I rode him positively and got him across nicely.

“He travelled a bit the first turn. I had a nice trail through until the straight, and I must say I thought, ‘God, Zac’s horse is going to be hard to get past.’ This horse is a little horse, but he’s got a big heart, and I’m really thankful to everyone – the owner, Danny and his team.”

Tony Cruz is also likely to target Champions Day with California Spangle, who finished a second in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and Hong Kong Derby after winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup.

“Zac said everybody came too early to take him on, but if we’d had his own way, I think he would have won,” Cruz said.