Romantic Warrior faces eight rivals as Triple Crown glory beckons in Champions & Chater Cup

Romantic Warrior will take on eight rivals when he bids to become only the third horse to complete Hong Kong’s Triple Crown in the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin on May 24.

The HK$13 million Group 1 over 2,400 meters is the final leg of the series and the final G1 of the Hong Kong season, giving Danny Shum Chap-shing’s champion the chance to join River Verdon and Voyage Bubble on the short honor roll.

Romantic Warrior has already claimed the first two legs – the Stewards’ Cup and the Hong Kong Gold Cup — but 2,400m is the one remaining box still to be ticked. His only previous start at the trip came in this race in 2023, when Russian Emperor ran him down by a nose after Zac Purton attempted to lead throughout.

Japanese challengers Rousham Park and Deep Monster add international flair, with Rousham Park having finished fifth behind Romantic Warrior in last year’s Hong Kong Cup and Deep Monster arriving off a Qatar win earlier this year. Queen Mother Memorial Cup winner Romantic Thor, Derby placegetters Numbers and Cap Ferrat, Gentlemen Legacy, Winning Wing and Ka Ying Generation complete the entries.

 

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓