On Track 2024 (DRAFT 2)Pages AT - Flipbook - Page 8
The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes came up quickly at
moment, but Mr Brightside and Romantic Warrior
Flemington, too quickly for the feeble Warrior. A grateful
soon passed him, with Brightside on the fence
Danny Shum had authorities reverse their ruling and
and the Warrior out wide, creating the best
approve of the horse’s regular feed only days before the
Ladbrokes Cox Plate finish in the last decade.
Turnbull, and JMac came good for the ride, however, he
couldn’t get him fit enough at Werribee to face a brutal
tempo over 2000 metres and perform to his best.
They hit the line as one, locked together with little
in it. The drama was intensified by the winning post
shadow, with the 5pm sun making it difficult to
Ciaron Maher’s Cup hero Gold Trip was the beneficiary
situate the noses of the two great bays. Team Hayes
of the lackluster showing by the Warrior, streaking away
thought they had won, as did much of the crowd,
to win comfortably with the hot-pot from Hong Kong only
while Danny Shum celebrated on the winning post
managing fourth position. The run was merely a pass
as they passed him, thinking he had indeed won.
mark, but Shum would have three weeks to find four
lengths, with that being the beaten margin on the day.
The son of Acclamation tightened up soundly in that
period and adapted to his new surroundings. His
final private gallop came on the Monday morning
of Ladbrokes Cox Plate week at The Valley, where
he clocked a sizzling 23.06 seconds for his final 400
metres, as fast as horses go under minimal riding.
It was all systems go for Australia’s Best Race, and
despite tasting defeat in the Turnbull, he went to the
gates as the warm favourite under Australia’s best
jockey. Courtesy of the World Pool betting, Romantic
Warrior saw an enormous surge of late support as all
eyes local and abroad became fixated on the race. He
started $2.80 on the World Pool tote and $3.60 fixed,
and found the perfect position in running perched
Race caller Matt Hill announced Romantic
Warrior had gotten the photo soon after – illation
for Hong Kong, dismay for Lindsay Park.
It was history at The Valley as Romantic Warrior
became the first ever Hong Kong trained horse to
win the Ladbrokes Cox Plate. In doing so, he also
enhanced the recent record of internationals, the fifth
to win the race following Adelaide 2014, Lys Gracieux
2019, Sir Dragonet 2020 and State Of Rest 2021.
The 123-rated globetrotter left Hong Kong a star and
came back a hero. He went on to make it back-to-back
wins in the Hong Kong Cup in December, defeating the
Aidan O’Brien trained Luxembourg, before staving off
the challenge of local up-and-comer Voyage Bubble
to claim the Hong Kong Gold Cup in February.
fourth, one off the fence. It was almost a carbon copy
With a record that now reads 18 starts for 13
ride of the one McDonald had given Anamoe exactly
victories, six of those at Group 1 level and three
12 months ago, but the Hong Kong champ had to work
minor placings, Romantic Warrior can lay claim to
much harder in the final 100 metres to secure victory.
being one of the finest horses to win the Ladbrokes
Alligator Blood made a dash for the cash on the
home turn and looked the winner for a fleeting
8
Cox Plate since the turn of the new century, and with
more ambitious goals in Japan later this year, could
enhance his reputation even further in due course.