After an emphatic victory in the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup, superstar galloper ROMANTIC WARRIOR looks primed to capture the second leg of the Triple Crown series — the Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin this Sunday.
Despite its lucrative HK$13 million purse, the Hong Kong Gold Cup has drawn a compact field of six, with all eyes firmly on ROMANTIC WARRIOR as he bids for a Group 1 hat-trick. The Danny Shum-trained champion has been flawless in three local starts since returning from his Middle East campaign early last year. He comfortably accounted for a similar line-up in the Stewards’ Cup last time out and should prove extremely hard to beat if he reproduces that form.
Last season’s Triple Crown hero VOYAGE BUBBLE shapes as the main danger, although he has been defeated by ROMANTIC WARRIOR in each of their past four meetings. Meanwhile, Group 2 winner MY WISH appears capable of filling a minor placing, but would need to lift sharply to challenge for the feature, having yet to finish in the placings from three previous Group 1 attempts.
