Danny Shum feels a great sense of pride as he prepares his champion Romantic Warrior for an historic shot at Saturday’s (22 February) G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Despite no breeding industry and only around 1,300 horses in training registered with The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong is repeatedly ultra-competitive on the world stage, and Shum will break new ground this weekend at King Abdulaziz Racecourse when Romantic Warrior not only races on dirt for the first time but is also the city’s first runner in Riyadh.

Captivating audiences worldwide across his phenomenal 23-start career in Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and Dubai, Hong Kong International Sale graduate Romantic Warrior will race in his fifth jurisdiction bidding for a 19th win, 11th Group 1 score and the lion’s share of US$20 million (approx. HK$155.69 million) in the world’s richest race.

Shum said: “The horse is good. The team is doing their best for the horse, Hong Kong (China) and The Hong Kong Jockey Club. We are all doing our best over here for everyone.

“He’s pretty sound, he’s healthy and he’s happy. It was a short trip from Dubai – so it’s all ok. He has the travel experience now, so he’s used to it.”

Romantic Warrior has won his last eight consecutive races – seven at Group 1 level. The 134-rater (in Hong Kong) is chasing a fourth overseas win on Saturday night after prevailing in the 2023 G1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) in Australia, 2024 G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) in Japan and 2025 G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) in the United Arab Emirates.

Shum, a protege of champion horseman Ivan Allan, has once again enlisted the assistance of renowned horse physio Tom Simpson from Australia to ensure no stone is left unturned.  

“The facilities are good and the people here are very helpful. I have Tom (Simpson) here – he’s the horse physio and he’s doing treatment on him to try and do the best for Romantic Warrior,” Shum said.

Shum was assistant to Allan and crusaded the likes of Fairy King Prawn, Oriental Express and Indigenous abroad for the master trainer. The 64-year-old trainer has 862 Hong Kong wins and is pleased with work rider Gary Lau’s feedback from chilly mornings at trackwork.

“Gary Lau, who rides him in the mornings, all of his reports to me have been pretty positive. He says the horse is good and that his condition is getting better and better – better than when he won the Jebel Hatta.

“He’s a very easy horse. It’s two horses in the stable – Romantic Charm and Romantic Warrior. They’re really comfortable and easy to handle,” Shum said.

Formerly owned and raced by Peter Lau, Romantic Charm has been by Romantic Warrior’s side in Australia, Japan and now the Middle East.

Shum said: “It’s absolutely great to have Romantic Charm here. When Romantic Charm goes out, he turns his head and he’s always looking for Romantic Warrior. They look for each other – they’re like a couple or brothers!”

Shum put Romantic Warrior – the world’s highest earning horse with HK$179.66 million (approx. US$23.09 million) banked – through the stalls last week and is satisfied with the galloper’s effort as he continues to familiarise himself with the King Abdulaziz dirt.

“He hasn’t jumped out of the gates for a long time, but he will race on the dirt, so I put him in the gates. He jumped good and he’s working well. He’s been more relaxed and feeling happy,” Shum said.

The Saudi Cup is scheduled for 8.40pm (AST) locally on Saturday night (22 February). Due to a five-hour time difference the race starts at 1.40am (HKT) for Hong Kong viewers on Sunday, 23 February.