Acclamation’s son Romantic Warrior shows his class on the world stage in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup

THE new Hong Kong racing star Romantic Warrior, by Acclamation, was never out of his comfort zone in the Hong Kong Cup – the Irish-bred son of Acclamation picked up well turning for home, produce a rapid turn of foot, hit the front and strolled home to take the meeting highlight.

It was a fourth win in succession for the four-year-old and his second Group 1 success having collected April’s QEII Cup in April. He has run 1o times, and won nine races.

Romantic Warrior was bred by Corduff Stud and T J Rooney out of the Street Cry mare Folk Melody. She was bought by Blandford Bloodstock from the Godolphin draft at the Goffs November Mares Sale in 2016. She is out of the Grade 1 winner Folk Opera (Singspiel) and her third dam Minskip is the grand-dam of Proportional, a champion two-year-old of 2008 and winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1).

The 2018-born Romantic Warrior was bought by the HKJC for 300,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls October Book 2 Sale from Corduff.

In 2020, the mare produced a Showcasing colt, purchased by Byran Smart Racing for 160,000gns at the 2021 Book 2 Sale. He has been named Operation Gimcrack, but has yet to run. The mare had a colt, also by Showcasing, in February, and is due to New Bay next spring.

Jockey James McDonald, who was riding Romantic Warrior for the second time, said: “He put himself in a great spot, he was fast from the gates, he switched off. I was controlling the race, this horse is so adaptable, he can nip up pretty quickly and that is what he did. He is a very good, he has a great way of switching off and a great turn of foot, his best attribute is taking a position. Danny [Shum] had him in tip top order.”