Romantic Warrior Completes Unprecedented Double

Romantic Warrior overcomes the odds

Romantic Warrior has proved he is a true star of the racing world having won Australia’s premier Weight For Age race, The Cox Plate less than 6 weeks ago he has travelled back to his native Hong Kong and won the countries richest race, The Hong Kong Cup.

The Cox Plate winner has had to overcome a hectic travel schedule as well as heft quarantine periods to achieve taking out to huge Group One titles in different countries in the space of 6 weeks. 

It was a Hong Kong Cup for the ages as champion jockey James McDonald battled hard in the straight to see off the fast finishing Luxembourg and UK jockey Ryan Moore to win the race for a second straight year. 

"It was probably the most nervous I've ever been riding the horse to be honest," McDonald said.

"There's always that unknown of coming back from Australia after really tough run in the Cox Plate and a tough run in the Turnbull (Stakes). I have felt him a tad better

"He shows so many champion qualities this horse - he's got a phenomenal will to win - I'm incredibly proud of him and very humbled to be associated with a horse like that.

"To do what he did in the Hong Kong Cup for a second time and overcome all those hurdles, it's one of my proudest moments.

"He's the toughest racehorse I've ever sat on and his courage, his will to win is something I've never felt before.

"To come back from a Cox Plate, I thought it was going to be a ginormous task and even though it was a small margin, I think he's come through with flying colours."

The Aidan O'Brien

-trained Luxembourg finished second, beaten a short-head, while Japanese veteran Hishi Iguazu was a neck back in third.

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