Romantic Warrior pencilled in for Dubai debut

Romantic Warrior’s trainer Danny Shum has outlined an ambitious plan to take in three races in the Middle East.

Having secured a third successive Hong Kong Cup last week he took his earnings past those of the previous most lucrative horse in Hong Kong, Golden Sixty.

Romantic Warrior has already proved his versatility by winning the Cox Plate in Australia and the Yasuda Kinen in Japan, so travelling holds no fears for him.

“He’s pulled up well and he’s very happy,” Shum told the Dubai Racing Club.

“He’s already travelled, he went to Australia last year and Japan. His owner Peter Lau really wants to go to the Middle East, so of course we are thinking about Dubai.

“He is such an easy horse. He loves his racing, especially when James McDonald is on board, he’s an amazing horse.

“He’s going to leave Hong Kong on the 17th to go to Dubai.

“He could go for the second round of the Maktoum Challenge first but myself, Peter and James will have a discussion.

“We’d love to run him in the Turf, so that might mean he runs in the Jebel Hatta on January 24, this is the plan, then his next race will be the Saudi Cup and then back to Dubai for April 5, either the Dubai World Cup or the Dubai Turf.

“We think he can handle the dirt but he’s never raced on it, so fingers crossed he can handle it.”