Romantic Warrior’s challengers are stacking up to take him on over 2400m in the G1 Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin next month, with Japanese raiders Rousham Park and Deep Monster, and last year’s winner Voyage Bubble, all committing to the race.
Trainer Danny Shum’s champion was at his brilliant best on Sunday when winning the G1 QEII Cup at his optimum distance of 2000m, but he has only raced once before at 2400m, in the 2023 Champions & Chater Cup, and that brought a neck defeat at odds of 1.2. The step out of his comfort zone could again be the chink his rivals have been desperate for.
Rousham Park’s trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka told Idol Horse at Oi on Wednesday night that the Champions & Chater Cup is the target. Hopes are high that the Japanese challenger will improve markedly on his previous races in Hong Kong.
“Yes, that race has always been in our sight,” Tanaka said of the 2024 G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up’s next target. “We have been looking at this race for a long time, and after his third in the Nikkei Sho, we have been considering this race as a possible option for him.
“This will be his third time going to Hong Kong, but previously he raced twice in the 2000-metre Hong Kong Cup and I think the longer distance is better for this horse. So, I am really looking forward to his performance in the 2400-metre race there.”
Tanaka could not confirm which jockey will ride Rousham Park in the race, though he said one had been contacted and he is waiting to find out their availability.
Fellow Japanese contender Deep Monster, winner of the G2 Amir Trophy in Qatar earlier this year, has Joao Moreira booked to ride.
Meanwhile, trainer Ricky Yiu was pleased enough with Voyage Bubble’s fifth-place behind My Wish in Sunday’s G1 Champions Mile to make plans towards the Champions & Chater Cup. The gelding raced handily and kept on when all around him folded, as the deep closers swept by to fill the top four places.
Voyage Bubble won the Champions & Chater Cup last year, a victory that sealed the Hong Kong Triple Crown, a feat achieved by only one other horse, River Verdon in 1994.
Romantic Warrior is on for the Triple Crown himself, having won the G1 Stewards’ Cup and G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup this year and his old rival looks like being there to try and foil him.
“Voyage Bubble will go for the 2400-metre – there is no reason not to now, with the way he ran in the Champions Mile,” Yiu told Idol Horse.
The seven-year-old raced last weekend despite having suffered a capped elbow in the lead-up to Champions Day, a condition that did not inhibit his movement or prevent him from running.
“He went to the clinic and had the capped elbow, they drained it. He will barely miss any work. I don’t think it will affect his preparation,” Yiu said.
“I am optimistic he will be there – but it is looking like a tough race. Some Japanese, and of course Romantic Warrior.” ∎
