Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Romantic Warrior is brilliant once again in 10th Group 1 win
By Heather Anderson, TDN Europe, and Renee Geelen, TTR
The richest horse in the world just padded his earnings with a hefty check from the AED1,850,000 (AU$790,000) G1 Jebel Hatta over 1800 metres at Meydan on Friday. Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {Ire}) delivered a strong final quarter in :22.80 to win going away, overwhelmed frontrunner–and last year's winner–Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at the 100 metre mark to win as much the best. Sadly, the Godolphin runner went amiss 50 metres from home, tossing rider William Buick to the turf. Poker Face (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) ran second, 4.5l behind Romantic Warrior, with Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) third. The time was 1:45.10, the fourth course record on the day. It was later confirmed that Measured Time's injury was fatal, but Buick was ok and rode later races on the card.
Romantic Warrior (Ire) winning the G1 Jebel Hatta | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin (UK and Dubai), said, “Everyone at Godolphin is deeply saddened by the passing of Measured Time. He was an immensely popular horse and will be greatly missed. We are relieved to see William Buick walk away afterwards, and our thanks go to the veterinarian and medical teams at Meydan for their swift care and compassion in an extremely unfortunate situation.”
The win was Romantic Warrior’s tenth at Group 1 level, and took his earnings further beyond his own world record. They now stand at AU$3,083,750, HK$152,881,400 (AU$31 million), 183,780,000¥ (AU$1.8 million), and 1,110,000Dhs (AU$480,000), which totals to AU$36.3 million.
“He’s one of the best in the world, there’s no doubt,” jubilant trainer Danny Shum told scmp.com. “He’s got a good turn of foot, he listens to what the jockey wants him to do and he can kick. I was not worried because I trust James (McDonald). He’s a world-class jockey so he knew the pace. I was 100 per cent not worried.”
“He’s (Romantic Warrior) one of the best in the world, there’s no doubt.” - Danny Shun
James McDonald was equally as excited about Romantic Warrior. “I was a little bit worried before the race with the gap between runs. He was fresh in the parade ring and then he managed to get his cool going to the start, so that was pleasant to see,” McDonald told scmp.com.
“As soon as I turned for home, I could see the leader in the race so far in front but (Romantic Warrior) was picking up so beautifully and he did the rest. I was just delighted with him. He jumps fast, he travels well and I never felt in doubt at all. He adapts to anything. You could put him on a saucepan and he would run well – any pace, any distance would suit him fine.”
McDonald rode a treble on the night, winning two of the undercard races for Australian trainer Michael Costa being the G2 Al Fahidi Fort aboard Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the G3 Al Khail Trophy on Keffaaf (GB) (Adlerflug {Ger}).
Gallery: Images courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Winner of the 2023 G1 WS Cox Plate, Romantic Warrior was bred by Tim Rooney and David Egan of Corduff Stud, Ireland, and is a one of seven Group 1 winners for Acclamation (GB), who died aged 25 in December 2024. One of four winners for winning mare Folk Melody (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), Romantic Warrior has 18 career wins. Folk Melody is a daughter of G1 Woodbine EP Taylor S. winner Folk Opera (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}).
Walk Of Stars becomes 60th Group 1 winner for Dubawi
By Alan Carasso, TDN
Previously better known for his inability to finish off his races, Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) seems to have put those bad habits behind him, as he well and truly stamped his authority on Friday's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan, leading home a 1-2 finish for the Bhupat Seemar yard and his legendary sire.
Runner-up in last year's G2 Godolphin Mile after looking home free, Walk of Stars was second on seasonal reappearance in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile Nov. 22, but was sent straight into the lead last time and made every yard in romping in by nearly dozen lengths in the Listed The Entisar over course and distance Dec. 20.
Called “a front-runner, but not a runaway” by jockey Tadhg O'Shea, Walk of Stars was ridden forward again and sat in a pace-pressing second to the inside of Saayedd (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}) until about midway. Back in front approaching the final 800 metres, the strapping bay was confronted by his stable companion Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for the run into the final three furlongs. Shoulder to shoulder into the Meydan straight, Walk of Stars continued to find on the pointy end and maintained a safe margin to the wire.
“He's a big, powerful galloper,” said O'Shea. “It was a great performance on the night and it's great to get a Group 1 under his belt.”
Seemar, who now has an automatic Dubai World Cup entry for Walk Of Stars, added: “the owners (Athbah Stud) are from Saudi so I imagine they will want to go to the (Feb. 22 G1) Saudi Cup.”
Gallery: Image courtesy of Dubai Racing Club
Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) was a bit tardy from the stalls in this first spin go over the dirt and settled just behind mid-division, absorbing plenty of kickback. Strung up in traffic entering the second turn, Facteur Cheval peeled out and around Qareeb (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) with about 400 metres to run and finished up nicely enough to be third.
The Al Maktoum Challenge was marred by a catastrophic injury suffered by Sheikh Ahmed's Gaassid (USA) (Mendelssohn {USA}) approaching the straight.
Walk of Stars is the 190th worldwide winner for Dubawi at the group/graded level and his 60th top-level scorer. He is the 92nd graded/group winner and 29th Group 1/Grade I winner produced by a daughter of Street Cry (Ire), also the broodmare sire of Jebel Hatta winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).
Dubawi (Ire) | Standing at Darley
Walk of Stars is out of Sound Reflection (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), a listed-placed daughter of dual Group 2 winner Echoes In Eternity (USA), whose son Whispering Gallery (GB) (Daylami {Ire}) carried Frankie Dettori to victory in the 2011 G3 Dubai Gold Cup over two miles of the Meydan turf course. Third dam Magnificent Style (USA) won the G3 Musidora S. and went on to produce not only G1 King George and G1 Eclipse S. hero Nathaniel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), but also Group 1 winner Playful Act (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who famously fetched US$10.5 million (AU$16.6 million) in foal to Kingmambo (USA) at the 2007 Keeneland November Sale.
Laurel River beaten in G3 Firebreak S.
By Heather Anderson, TDN Europe
The 1600-metre G3 Firebreak S. presented by Longines was all about last year's explosive G1 Dubai World Cup hero Laurel River (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) – rated the joint World’s Best Racehorse for 2024 - until the last jump. Instead, it was the evenly racing G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest victor King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) who closed resolutely and claimed the winner's laurels.
Breaking a step slowly, the Bhupat Seemar-trained Juddmonte runner rushed up to challenge for the advantage and soon held the baton while pushed by Meshtri (USA) (Medaglia d'Oro {USA}) with King Gold near the tail of the field. Laurel River soon distanced himself from his rivals for much of the race and, at one point carried an eight-length lead in upper stretch. His long break from the races and eager efforts hard on the steel wore him down, evident by the final furlong, with a resolute King Gold spoiling the fairytale comeback right on the line. The margin was a short head, with Wathnan Racing's Cagliostro (USA) (Upstart {USA}), sandwiched in between the top pair, the same distance back in third.
“I was shouting for second and so happy to be second to the world champion and then I couldn't believe it, I won!” said an elated Marine Henry, wife and assistant to trainer Nicolas Caullery, who rides King Gold each day. “He tried the dirt in 2022 and went so well on it so I've been saying since then we should go back on it. Today I was hoping he could be third as he felt so well to me in the morning.
“We will go for the G2 Godolphin Mile now and maybe run on Super Saturday (G3 Burj Nahaar) too.”
Douglas Erskine Crum, chief executive of owners Juddmonte, said of Laurel River, “He's a very fast horse and he was very brave there, maybe a little too enthusiastic. We'll go to the Saudi Cup–see you in Riyadh!”
“He's (King Gold) a very fast horse and he was very brave there, maybe a little too enthusiastic. We'll go to the Saudi Cup–see you in Riyadh!” - Douglas Erskine Crum
After claiming the Prix Maurice de Gheest in August of 2023, the grey lost his way a bit last year, but did manage to take the G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot over 1400 metres at ParisLongchamp in June. His 2024 finale three starts later was a 13th-place finish in the G1 Prix de la Foret in very soft going in October before failing to sell as a 180,000gns (AU$373,000) buy-back out of the Tattersalls Online November Sale last autumn. The 8-year-old entire has won 10 of his 44 starts.
King Gold is one of nine S. winners and six group scorers for group winner and GI Breeders' Cup Mile runner-up Anodin (USA). The son of Anabaa (USA) was also second in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and the G1 Prix d'Ispahan and third in the G1 Prix du Moulin and G1 Queen Anne S.. Broodmare sire Kingsalsa (USA), a group winner by Kingmambo (USA) who placed four times at the top table, is responsible for two stakes winners out of his daughters.
King Gold (Fr) winning the G3 Firebreak S. | Image courtesy of Dubai Racing Club
The durable King Gold is the second foal out of the unraced Miss Gandelia (Fr) (Kingsalsa {USA}), herself a half-sister to listed winner and group-placed Queen America (Fr) (American Post {GB}), as well as a full to Queensalsa (Fr) (Kingsalsa {USA}), who filled the frame three times at group level. The last-named mare is the dam of the Listed Prix Isonomy heroine and G3 Prix de la Grotte third Whip And Win (Fr) (Whipper {USA}) and the granddam of S. winner Pas De Soucis (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), who was third in the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S..
The rest of the undercard was the G2 Blue Point S. won by West Acre (Ire) (Mehmas {}), G3 UAE Two Thousand Guineas won by Golden Vekoma (USA) (Vekoma {USA}), and the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint won by Tuz (USA) (Oxbow {USA}).
