James McDonald is back in Hong Kong for his latest short-term contract, and this year, the superstar rider has his eyes on one particular prize.
Fresh off his dominant Champion Stakes win on Via Sistina at Flemington, McDonald has touched down in Hong Kong to begin his annual stint in the city, which runs until December 23, on Wednesday at Happy Valley.
The prospect of a six-week battle between himself and Zac Purton once again shapes as an exciting prospect for the Sha Tin and Happy Valley faithful, likewise the early clash between Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble in the G2 Jockey Club Cup on November 23.
But for McDonald, there is one race in particular at the Hong Kong International Races on December 14 that will definitely make the trip worthwhile.
“A fourth Hong Kong Cup with Romantic Warrior is the main target,” McDonald said at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning. “Being part of the build-up with him will be special, so I’m looking forward to that.”
McDonald has been in the saddle for all three of Romantic Warrior’s Hong Kong Cup wins, alongside his Cox Plate success in 2023, Yasuda Kinen victory, Jebel Hatta demolition, Hong Kong Gold Cup triumph and two of his three QE II Cups.
It didn’t take long for him to reunite with the Danny Shum-trained star, with McDonald galloping Romantic Warrior on the Sha Tin turf early on Tuesday morning.
“I jumped out of bed pretty quickly, that’s for sure,” McDonald said. “He was my first ride of the morning and he just looks phenomenal. Danny is also really happy with him and that’s the main thing.”
While Romantic Warrior will be turning eight at the turn of the year, McDonald said the world’s highest-earning racehorse still feels at the top of his game.
“He doesn’t feel any older, that’s for sure,” he added. “He’s working every bit as good as what he was in March.
“One thing I did really notice is that he was more relaxed in his work, but that’s probably because he enjoys being here in Hong Kong. He stretched out nicely and went through his gears well. It always takes a good horse to beat him and it will be no different this season.”
Coasting along nicely! 💙
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) November 10, 2025
We're 12 days from Romantic Warrior's return in the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m)… 😍@mcacajamez | #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/JgsWEisFkA
Romantic Warrior will make his first start since he had surgery to insert a screw into an injured joint at the end of May when he steps out onto the Sha Tin turf for the G2 Jockey Club Cup on November 23.
His task of defeating the best 2000m horses that Hong Kong has to offer has been made much tougher by connections of Voyage Bubble, though, who have decided to take on Romantic Warrior after Ricky Yiu’s stable star failed to fire over 1600m on seasonal reappearance.
With McDonald, who has ridden Voyage Bubble to four Group 1 wins, opting to stick with Romantic Warrior, Yiu has turned to Zac Purton to ride the Triple Crown winner.
The clash between two of Hong Kong’s titans headlines the trio of Group 2 contests on November 23 that also features the Jockey Club Sprint and Jockey Club Cup.
Away from the 2000m contest, McDonald confirmed he will ride Galaxy Patch and Fast Network over a mile and 1200m, respectively. Purton, who hops aboard Ka Ying Rising in the Jockey Club Sprint, sticks with Light Years Charm over a mile. ∎
