Danny Shum is hopeful Romantic Warrior can cast aside 15 quality rivals when he lines up in Saturday's Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, however, the trainer is expecting his triple Group 1 winner to improve out of his first Australian race and reach tip-top condition for his Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) tilt on October 28 at Moonee Valley.
Speaking to media on Wednesday morning at Werribee in Melbourne, Australia, Shum declared his delight after seeing Romantic Warrior – who appeared in fine heart at trackwork under work rider Gary Lau – ahead of this weekend's contest.
“I do think he's fit enough to handle (this weekend's race), for him, it's the potential and I never doubt his potential.
“When I watched James McDonald gallop him at Flemington on Sunday, I was really, really happy, and I absolutely agree with James when he said, ‘the horse is really good, the horse has improved day-by-day and after the Turnbull Stakes, I think he'll be spot on for the Cox Plate',” Shum said.
Romantic Warrior was led out on Wednesday morning by his mafoo Chan Chun-yin alongside stablemate Romantic Charm, who was ridden by Ben So. The pair worked a few circuits of the inner sand course at Werribee before returning to the stables in front of a watchful Shum.
“Romantic Warrior is a talent, he's a superstar. You saw the gallop on the first of October, you can see something. James didn't do anything, but he went with him. He loves James, every horse loves James – he can ride, he is a talented jockey, but he (Romantic Warrior) uses himself to tell the jockey ‘I can run for you, have confidence in me!' you can see something like this, and as a trainer, it's perfect,” Shum said.
Versatile but generally an on-pacer, especially across last season in Hong Kong, Romantic Warrior will step away from barrier 11 in Saturday's 16-runner contest under McDonald.
First-up since finishing second in the 2023 Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on May 28 at Sha Tin, the five-year-old son of Acclamation is aiming to add to his HK$84.365 million in earnings and 10 wins from 14 starts.
A graduate of the 2021 Hong Kong International Sale, Romantic Warrior was sold to owner Peter Lau for HK$4.8 million, and last season came within a head of Hong Kong's record-setting superstar and three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23) – Golden Sixty – in the 2023 Group 1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m).
Overall, Romantic Warrior has five wins from six attempts over Sha Tin's 2000m. He's twice been crowned Hong Kong Champion Middle-Distance Horse (2021/22 & 2022/23), and he will race anti-clockwise for the first time this weekend.
“Fingers crossed – we'll do our best. I've seen him every day, even in Werribee by WhatsApp – I always watch him. I can guarantee to you guys he's not 100 percent, he's around 85 to 90 percent and he will improve – just exactly what James McDonald said after his gallop. He will make a big improvement,” Shum said.
The Group 1-placed West Wind Blows features, as does Soulcombe, who finished a fast-closing fourth in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) last time out at Caulfield.
West Wind Blows is trained by Simon and Ed Crisford in Great Britain. He is a five-time winner and has twice prevailed at Group 3 level in France with form also around the likes of Hurricane Lane, Pyledriver, Paddington and Emily Upjohn.
Talented four-year-old Osipenko is also included for trainer Chris Waller following on from his last-start third in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) behind Mr Brightside. Gold Trip, Francesco Guardi, Uncle Bryn, Right You Are and more feature.
The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) will be run at 4.25pm AEDT at Flemington in Melbourne, Australia.