Expectation was everywhere at Sha Tin on Sunday and nowhere more so than around Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising – two champions asked to justify odds that left no room for error.
Both did far more than that.
Romantic Warrior, sent out at $1.10, delivered a historic fourth Hong Kong Cup to become the first horse to win four LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, absorbing pressure and scrutiny before brushing rivals aside.
Trainer Danny Shum spoke for many when he tried to explain what the moment meant.
“I feel so proud of Romantic Warrior. I’m so proud of my stable team – they work very hard,” Shum said. “It’s a big relief and it gives me a lot of happiness. Not only for me, but for the owners, my family and Hong Kong racing fans. They all love Romantic Warrior.”
The relief followed an intense build-up.
“To be honest, I had a lot of pressure,” Shum said. “Even (winning jockey) James (McDonald) said I gave him too much pressure. It’s a big relief.”
If Romantic Warrior carried expectation, Ka Ying Rising crushed it.
Returning the minimum dividend of $1.05, the world’s best sprinter was as dominant as he has ever been in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, spacing his rivals to stretch his winning streak to 16 and move within one win of Silent Witness’ all-time Hong Kong record.
“He is just in a league of his own now,” jockey Zac Purton said. “His last run showed us that it was on the cards today. He drew the right gate and I said he would win by further.”
Trainer David Hayes said the challenge had been managing expectation rather than form.
“He was just superb today,” Hayes said. “I was relieved he didn’t let the stable or the public’s expectations down.
“The messages he was sending the week of the race suggested he’d do something like that.”
Hayes said Ka Ying Rising’s continued improvement was clear.
“He is a lot heavier and stronger now, so physically he is really improving and it is showing on the track,” he said.
The day was a celebration of Hong Kong excellence as the home side won three of the four features. Last season’s Triple Crown history-maker Voyage Bubble added another chapter to his story, defending his Hong Kong Mile crown in a stirring duel with Japan’s Soul Rush. Passed for the lead in the straight, the seven-year-old rallied strongly and gave Purton a second Group 1 victory on the day and a record-extending 14th HKIR win overall.
“He has a great heart,” trainer Ricky Yiu said of Voyage Bubble. “Although he’s seven, I don’t really feel the age. He’s still full of beans.”
France’s Sosie denied Hong Kong a clean sweep of the four Group 1s by landing a high-quality edition of the Hong Kong Vase.
Turnover on the meeting was down on last season - as was the crowd - but Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior’s dominance had stifled betting.
“We had some races with such dominant favorites that it wasn’t enticing,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “We had record turnover from commingling though and it shows how popular Hong Kong racing is around the world.
“This day is not about turnover though - it is about world class sport – and that is what was delivered.”
