‘Dream horse’ Romantic Warrior retired
Image: Romantic Warrior, Credit HKJC
Labelled by James McDonald as ‘the best I have ever ridden’ and described by trainer Danny Shum as his ‘dream horse’, the truly irreplaceable Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) has officially been retired following a recent leg injury.
The highest-earning thoroughbred in racing history with prize-money of HK$288,745,697 (approx. AU$51.67 million), Romantic Warrior made 31 starts in a career that began in October 2021, bagging 24 wins and a further five second placings, meaning he was out of the first three on only two occasions.
Of those 24 victories, a whopping 15 of those came at the highest level, including for wins in the 2023 Cox Plate (2040m), an incredible four Hong Kong Cups (2000m) and three QEII Cup (2000m) successes.
Further wins in the Jebel Hatta (Gr 1, 1800m) and Yasuda Kinen (Gr 1, 1600m) meant Romantic Warrior became the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win in four different jurisdictions.
“Hong Kong Jockey Club wishes to provide an update on global champion Romantic Warrior for his many fans around the world,” a statement from the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) read on Wednesday.
“Romantic Warrior’s connections, in consultation with the club’s veterinarians, have decided to retire Romantic Warrior from racing following further detailed diagnostic imaging and assessment of his front leg at the club’s state-of-the-art veterinary hospital.
“Romantic Warrior will spend the next three months at Conghua Racecourse under the continued monitoring of the club’s veterinarians before being transitioned to his retirement home with the assistance of the club’s RESTART Racehorse Aftercare Programme, which involves a holistic approach to horse aftercare following the completion of racing careers.
“The club will arrange a farewell ceremony for Romantic Warrior at a Sha Tin Raceday later this season. Details of the farewell ceremony will be shared as soon as they are available.”
Now an eight-year-old, the gelded son of Acclamation (Royal Applause) went through the 2025-26 season unbeaten, emulating both River Verdon (Be My Native) and Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) in completing the Hong Kong Triple Crown – scoring in the Stewards’ Cup (Gr 1, 1600m), Hong Kong Gold Cup and Champions & Chater Cup (Gr 1, 2400m).
Romantic Warrior was bred in partnership by Tim Rooney and the Egan family’s Corduff Stud in County Kildare, Ireland, run by father-and-son team James and David Egan and David’s wife Henrietta.
He is out of the winning mare Folk Melody, herself a Godolphin homebred by Street Cry (Machiavellian) and out of the Canadian Grade 1 winner Folk Opera (Singspiel).
Put through the ring by Corduff during Book 2 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Romantic Warrior was purchased by the HKJC for 300,000gns after being sourced by former Irish champion jockey Mick Kinane.
Sent to the 2021 Hong Kong International Sale by the HKJC, he was then bought for HK$4.8 million by his current owner Peter Lau – in whose silks he raced.
“He’s been great, he really has,” Corduff’s David Egan told ANZ News.
“I was talking with Tim Rooney last night who bred him with us and he was lamenting the fact that we’ll never have another horse like that in our lives and I was sort of like ‘we’ve been lucky to have him’. He’s been absolutely amazing.
“I must say Danny [Shum] did a fantastic job training this horse, it is extraordinary. To keep a horse as willing, it was a great training performance.”
The Egan’s and Rooney have had great success from Folk Melody, who they purchased out of Godolphin for €82,000 at the 2016 Goffs November Mares Sale.
Dual winner and Group 3 fourth placegetter Melodic Charm (Exceed And Excel) was the first foal to sell out of the mare, going to Rabbah Bloodstock for 85,000gns. Then there was no less than Romantic Warrior, and since has followed Operation Gimcrack (Showcasing) (160,000gns) and most recently Le Samourai (New Bay), who went for 450,000gns in 2024.
“We still have the mare, she was born in 2011 and she’s getting on a bit in years,” Egan said.
“She isn’t the easiest reproductively, she’s not currently in foal and doesn’t have one at foot, but we do have a very nice filly by Havana Grey that is going to go to Tattersalls Book 1.
“We haven’t made plans for next year, but we will look after her as well as we can.
“It’s only a small farm, the herd is about 20-25 mares and we breed from them and then sell the offspring. By Australian standards it is tiny, but it’s 220 acres which is plenty for what we do. We do sell occasionally with weanlings, but we are primarily yearling vendors.”
Egan admitted that the farm is yet to reclaim one of Folk Melody’s daughters for further breeding in the family, but that it is not yet fully off the table.
“The Iffraaj mare [Pennywhistle] was with Godolphin and when they sold her we were actually underbidders there, while the Exceed And Excel [Melodic Charm] was only ever offered back in foal to Dark Angel and she was then bought by China Horse Club for a fair bit of money [270,000gns],” Egan added.
“So unfortunately we don’t have any of the daughters, so we’d love to get one. If the Havana Grey happened to be passed in it wouldn’t be the worst outcome for us, but she’d be a great addition to any farm.”
McDonald, who rode Romantic Warrior in 20 of his 31 starts, was also full of the highest praise for his ever-giving equine partner on Wednesday.
“Romantic Warrior is my Winx, that is for sure,” McDonald said.
“He is the best I have ever ridden. He was incredible, so special for what he achieved on the track. We won’t see the likes of him again in my lifetime.
“I had 20 rides on ‘Romantic’ and won 17 races – but it should have been 19! He was the most intelligent, toughest and most talented racehorse I’ve come across.
“When all is said and done, at the end of the day he captured the imagination of all Hong Kong racing fans.
“He will always be Hong Kong’s champion.”
Romantic Warrior was twice voted Hong Kong Horse of the Year, sharing the title with the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress), last season.
“I have been very lucky to have him – and I think he’s been very lucky to have me and Peter [Lau] and James [McDonald], too,” trainer Shum said.
Shum ranked his champion’s Cox Plate success as up there with his best ever, with the gelding coming from the rear in the time-honoured Group 1 to nab Lindsay Park’s Mr Brightside (Bullbars) on the line by a short-head in a photo-finish.
“There are so many highlights to look back on but, for me, the BMW Hong Kong Derby and the W.S. Cox Plate were incredible achievements,” Shum added.
“The Cox Plate was very special for me because we were taking on the Hayes team [with Mr Brightside] and I wasn’t sure if he won.
“We had to wait to find out that he was the winner and that was amazing to enjoy that win – Romantic Warrior is the horse of a lifetime. A dream horse.”
Speaking to Hong Kong’s The Standard in an interview from Sha Tin last week, HKJC chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said of Romantic Warrior’s career: “I believe he’s one of the truly unique horses in global racing history. I don’t know how many other horses have traveled to so many countries, run in so many races, overcome so much.
“It’s how he’s raced that sets him apart. If you look at a horse who’s shown, over years, the ability to win from 1200 metres up to top-class racing on different surfaces – it’s nearly impossible.
“He doesn’t know how to take a backward step – he has the real lion heart of a winner. The ultimate racehorse. There are brilliant horses, but what he’s achieved in his career, I don’t think you can fully describe it. He has presence. He has confidence.
“Some horses get a little smarter – and a little more cautious – with age. Not him. He always puts himself on the line.”
Having provided ‘J-Mac’ with some of his greatest achievements in the saddle, Romantic Warrior will now head over to Australia where his champion rider will find him his forever home.
“I will find a home for him, hopefully close to Sydney, and I will make sure he gets the best care for the rest of his life,” McDonald said.