'He's left it all out there'

James McDonald hailed Romantic Warrior as a "horse of a lifetime" as the champion galloper's Middle Eastern campaign came to an end in the most agonizing fashion in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1,800 meters).

It was Forever Young who spoiled the party in the Saudi Cup and it was another Japanese raider that broke the hearts of Romantic Warrior's traveling fans at Meydan Racecourse, as Soul Rush ate into Romantic Warrior's lead to prevail by a margin so narrow that it took several minutes for the judges to announce the result.

"He has run his heart out as he always does but he's had a long and pretty tough campaign," a visibly exhausted McDonald said after the defeat. "He's left it all out there again and we're only talking a whisker between winning and losing.

"I'm really grateful to him, [trainer] Danny [Shum Chap-shing] and the team. They've all done such a good job this season. He's a horse of a lifetime and I can't be any more proud of what he's achieved."

After getting uncharacteristically warm and slightly worked up behind the gates, Romantic Warrior jumped well as the odds-on favorite and assumed a prominent position one off the rail in the opening stages He traveled powerfully and hit the front 400m from home but, when urged to lengthen by McDonald at the top of the straight, his usual potent turn of foot was not quite in full force.

McDonald was throwing everything he had at the great gladiator as Romantic Warrior held a one-length advantage over the chasing Soul Rush at the 200m and it looked as though he might have enough in the tank to fend off a final challenge. But as Cristian Demuro conjured every ounce of effort out of his mount, who was second to Voyage Bubble in December's G1 Hong Kong Mile, the Italian did just enough to get Soul Rush's nostril in front at the all-important moment.

While Romantic Warrior produced another monumental effort in defeat, McDonald believed his audacious campaign consisting of five races - three of which were in the Middle East - may have eventually taken its toll.

"He got a bit worked up and sweated up before the race and he did that in Japan as well which was at the end of his campaign," McDonald said.

"He never shows any signs of that at home because he's so good and tough, but he's competing at the highest level and it's got to take its toll eventually. He's not a robot or a machine, he's an animal - a brilliant one at that - and he definitely deserves a break."

Jack Dawling, Dubai