Kickback the concern for Romantic Warrior in Saudi Cup

Danny Shum is confident Romantic Warrior will be able to perform on the dirt in Saturday’s Saudi Cup – but is less certain how the Hong Kong star will cope with the kickback from the surface in Riyadh.

The seven-year-old will be having his first dirt start in the $20million race having racked up an eight-race winning streak that stretches back to October 2023 and encompasses seven top-level contests.

Romantic Warrior warmed up for this assignment by showing a stunning turn of foot to register a comfortable victory in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan, as connections opted to stay on turf rather than tackle the Al Maktoum Challenge on dirt.

Shum explained: “He raced in the Jebel Hatta and it was an amazing finish to the race as a seven-year-old gelding. You can see see in the last 400 metres, (jockey) James McDonald and Romantic Warrior, they really trust each other. James is waiting for the pace and Romantic Warrior is waiting for James. When he goes he hit the line strong, it was an amazing run.

“The first plan was (to run on the dirt in Dubai) but Romantic Warrior’s owner, Peter Lau, James and me had a meeting and he (Lau) told me the reasons not to run in the Maktoum and run on the turf in the Jebel Hatta – you want to find out only in the big races, if he ran disappointingly in the Maktoum you will have no confidence to run him in the Saudi Cup.

“So I said keep him fresh, keep him happy and we will find out in the Saudi Cup.”

Romantic Warrior has enjoyed a taste of the dirt course in training and Shum added: “I feel he’s adapted well and James’ report was also positive, but the point is how he handles the kickback on his face.

“It’s different for different horses, some horses can adapt but some shorten their stride. This is normal but you never know until after the winning post.

“He is very fit, physically, I can say all the time in his career, this is the best in his life.”

Romantic Warrior has been drawn in stall three in a full field of 14 runners, with Shum relaxed on that position and confident McDonald will have his race planned out.

He added: “Draw three is helpful because it is flexible. Romantic Warrior has natural speed and I’ve studied the last five Saudi Cups and the first 200 metres are really fast, they just go, American style.

“James will have studied the field very hard and also has rides before the Saudi Cup. He can see if there is a bias and where it is.”

Romantic Warrior is the second-favourite for the Saudi Cup behind Japanese runner Forever Young, winner of last year’s Saudi Derby before going on to finish third in both the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic for trainer Yoshito Yahagi.

Last year’s narrow Saudi Cup second Ushba Tesoro is back for more along with fellow Noboru Takagi inmate Wilson Tesoro and another Japanese runner in Ramjet, leaving Shum wary of the challenge they pose along with Bhupat Seemar’s Al Maktoum Challenge winner Walk Of Stars.

He added: “Forever Young is obviously one of the main contenders and I also like Walk Of Stars. All of the Japanese horses are very tough, this time they have sent their best four dirt horses to Saudi, so they’re very strong.”

Forever Young has been drawn widest of all in stall 14, but jockey Ryusei Sakai does not see that as a negative.

He said: “I have no worries about him. He is a very versatile type of horse and can handle any type of track condition.

“The wide gate is not a big concern and distance-wise there is no issue either. I understand this will be a very competitive race, but my focus is to show his run. I am really looking forward to Saturday.”

French raider Facteur Cheval represents Jerome Reynier after finishing a seven-length third behind Walk Of Stars on his initial dirt run in Dubai last month.

A top-class performer on turf – finishing second in the last two runnings of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day – his Meydan effort was quite eyecatching.

Reynier said: “The plan was always to take him to Dubai to test him on the track, even though the dirt there is different to the one at Riyadh. So we ran him in the Al Maktoum Challenge with the aim that he would get used to the kickback.

“Facteur Cheval is a very strong individual, who always delivers, he is just a very special horse. Even if we might struggle to be as competitive as Forever Young or the other true dirt specialists, who are international champions, being placed in this race is already an achievement.”