People keep asking me the same question: who was better – Golden Sixty or Romantic Warrior?
When they actually raced each other, there’s not much argument. Golden Sixty was the better horse then. He beat Romantic Warrior at a mile in the 2023 Stewards’ Cup, and beat him again next start in the Hong Kong Gold Cup at 2000 metres – Romantic Warrior’s pet trip. No excuses, no pilot error. Golden Sixty just beat him fair and square.
But what if they raced now? I’m not so sure I’d say the same thing anymore.
Romantic Warrior is eight now, he’s had leg surgery and in a sport where horses don’t usually improve after seven, he’s doing exactly that. I honestly believe he’s better now than he was one, two or three years ago. His trials this season were better than ever. He’s moving better. Maybe that leg problem had been bothering him for a while, because now he’s racing like a horse with no pain.
What I love about Romantic Warrior – and what separates the very best from the merely very good – is that as a jockey, you can do more with him in a race. He adapts. He doesn’t need everything to go perfectly. The difference between a good horse and a truly great one is often the ability to adjust mid-race to whatever situation they are presented with.
Golden Sixty was a champion too, don’t get me wrong. But he had to be ridden a certain way – midfield to back, and you needed the race to unfold for him. He didn’t have the advantage of being able to sit in the first two or three if you wanted. Romantic Warrior does. And that’s huge in big races.
Sunday’s Stewards’ Cup was the perfect example. Voyage Bubble missed the start, Romantic Warrior jumped three-quarters of a length faster. That gave Romantic Warrior’s jockey James McDonald the advantage. Voyage Bubble’s jockey Zac Purton was then dictated to – he couldn’t do anything. James waited to see how the race unfolded and when he realised he was three-wide and the pace wasn’t too fast, he allowed Romantic Warrior to cruise forward and sit outside Lucky Sweynesse.
Romantic Warrior did it without over-racing. A lot of horses can’t do that. Only great horses can do that. He just switches off, saves energy – where a lot of horses will pull in that situation. That lets you put him where you need him. He doesn’t find trouble. That’s the big difference.
It reminds me of the Australian champion Kingston Town – go watch a reply of his Sydney Cup win in 1980 – he was the type of horse that could make two or three different moves in a race and still finish it off. That’s rare.
Before I get to my pick – why are people so afraid to have these discussions? I copped it when I said Ka Ying Rising would beat Black Caviar. Sections of the internet went wild, especially back in Australia. But what I said wasn’t disrespect. Black Caviar was a champion – unbeaten in 25 races, an all-time great. You’re allowed to say that and still have an opinion about another horse. This idea that if you pick one, you’re knocking the other – it’s nonsense. Most people are just scared of getting roasted in the comments section on social media.
And just to remind everybody: Ka Ying Rising would beat Black Caviar.
So, Romantic Warrior, now, versus Golden Sixty at his best? At 2000 metres, I don’t think there’s much question – I’d want to be on Romantic Warrior. At a mile, that’s where it gets close, because that was Golden Sixty’s sweet spot and he was an absolute weapon there. One other factor that was previously in Golden Sixty’s favour is that he could run closing sectionals that Romantic Warrior could not. But even then, I’m not dismissing Romantic Warrior the way I would have a couple of years ago. Today, it’s a different ball game. Romantic Warrior, this season, has been running faster final 400 metre sectionals than he has at any time in his career. He is racing better than ever.
No Relief In Sight
I have bad news for the connections of horses that finished behind Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior on Sunday – there’s no relief coming anytime soon.
Ka Ying Rising goes to 1400 metres next start in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, where he can break Silent Witness’ record of 17 consecutive wins. He won the race last year and I just don’t see any vulnerability at that distance. He runs 1400 on his ear.
What he did on Sunday in the Centenary Sprint Cup told you everything. He ran his last 400 in 21.94 seconds, he wasn’t hit, he wasn’t pushed out for the final 150 metres – and he still won easily. That’s the scary part for everyone else. He’s just on a different level. He is one of the best horses I have ever seen, not just sprinters.
Romantic Warrior stays on the Triple Crown path – next stop the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, then later the G1 Champions & Chater Cup. I know he got beaten at 2400 metres last time he tried, but I think he wins it this year.
The two best horses in Hong Kong are only getting better and right now, second place is the best anyone else can hope for. ∎
