Romantic Warrior Completes the Hong Kong Triple Crown!
Romantic Warrior cemented his place among Hong Kong racing’s all-time greats at Sha Tin, becoming just the third horse to complete the Hong Kong Triple Crown with victory in the Champions & Chater Cup. 🇭🇰🏆
Also in this week’s WHR Weekly:
🇦🇺 Chris Waller recorded his 200th Group 1 victory as Birdman denied Pride Of Jenni in the Doomben Cup
🇯🇵 Seina Imamura became the first Japanese woman to win a domestic Grade 1 aboard Juryoku Pierrot in the Japanese Oaks
🇮🇪 Aidan O’Brien completed an Irish Guineas double with Gstaad and Precise at The Curragh
🇫🇷 Arc hero Daryz lit up ParisLongchamp’s Thursday night card in the Prix Aga Khan
🇬🇧 Venetian Sun and Night Raider boosted their Royal Ascot claims with standout wins at Haydock
Attention now turns to the Japanese Derby, Eagle Farm’s Group 1 double-header and another huge week of international racing action.
🗞️ Read the full World Horse Racing Weekly below 👇
What’s Happened
🇦🇺 Australia 🇦🇺
Chris Waller racked up Group 1 win number 200 when Birdman reversed Hollindale Stakes form with Pride Of Jenni in the G1 Doomben Cup.
It was a first top-level win for Birdman, ridden by James McDonald, and it provoked rare emotions from Waller who now sits alongside Tommy Smith and Bart Cummings as the only three Australian-based trainers to win 200 G1s or more.
Earlier on the card, Fireball Miss caused a minor upset in the G2 The Roses 3yo, beating favourite Chispa in the hands of Declan Bates, for trainer Ciaron Maher.
🇫🇷 France 🇫🇷
Arc hero Daryz lit up ParisLongchamp’s new Thursday night card with a smooth victory in the G1 Prix Aga Khan IV – formerly Prix d’Ispahan. Facing just four rivals, Francis Graffard’s colt didn’t need to overextend to beat Leffard by three and a half lengths. Royal Ascot’s G1 Prix of Wales’s Stakes is next on his agenda.
There was a thrilling finish to the G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in which George Scott’s Caballo De Mar picked up his second top level prize. Ridden by Oisin Murphy, he just got up in a dash for the line, beating Santorini Star and Al Riffa by a short neck and short head.
Lazzat signalled he’s on course for a defence of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot after a facile win in the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong 🇭🇰
The world’s highest-earning racehorse Romantic Warrior created yet more history at Sha Tin on Sunday when becoming just the third horse to win the Hong Kong Triple Crown.
Danny Shum’s superstar had to work for victory in the G1 Champions & Chater Cup, however, James McDonald leaving it late to launch his challenge from the home turn and beating Numbers by half a length.
It was a fifth G1 success for Romantic Warrior this season and 15th overall, with those wins having come in Australia, Japan, the UAE and at home in Hong Kong. Described as ‘immortal’ by Shum, few would argue that he is one of the all-time greats.
🇮🇪 Ireland 🇮🇪
Gstaad claimed his second G1 win when cruising to victory in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh on Saturday. Ridden by Ryan Moore for Aidan O’Brien, he has now set up a re-match with his Newmarket Guineas conqueror Bow Echo in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
O’Brien made it a Guineas double, this time with Wayne Lordan in the saddle, when Precise won Sunday’s 1000 Guineas. With Moore opting for Newmarket winner True Love, Lordan steered Precise past that rival for an emphatic two and a half length victory.
O’Brien also saddled the favourite for the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in Minnie Hauk, but the dual Oaks winner folded tamely as Almaqam stormed to a first G1 success for Kieran Shoemark and Ed Walker. The five-year-old may head to the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes next, after this two-length win over Bay City Roller.
Later, City Of Memphis picked up her third win on the spin in the G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes. Ridden by Billy Lee for trainer Paddy Twomey, she now looks set for G1s after this length win over Carolina Jetstream.
Saturday’s main supporting race, the G2 Greenlands Stakes, went to Donnacha O’Brien’s well-travelled Comanche Brave, who returned from trips to Abu Dhabi, Saudi and Hong Kong for a two-length win over Big Gossey.
🇯🇵 Japan 🇯🇵
There was history at Toyko on Sunday when Seina Imamura became the first Japanese woman to win a domestic Grade 1 when Juryoku Pierrot landed the Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks.
The 22-year-old was having her first Classic ride aboard the Ryo Terashima-trained filly and came with a strong late run to win by a neck from Dream Core and Christophe Lemaire.
On Saturday at Kyoto, Lord Couronne justified favouritism in the G3 Heian Stakes, beating Watzer Schall by three and a half lengths, for jockey Kazuo Yokoyama and trainer Hirofumi Shii.
🇿🇦 South Africa 🇿🇦
Father and son training duo Mike and Mat De Kock collected another top-level success when Haute Couture stormed home late to catch the hitherto unbeaten Rich Man’s World by a neck in the G1 Gold Medallion at Scottsville.
It was a stunning performance by the Callan Murray-ridden colt, who broke his maiden just two weeks ago.
There was another close finish in the G1 SA Fillies’ Classic, when Asiye Phambili got up in the last stride to beat Double Grand Slam. The six-year-old, trained by Duncan Howells, was ridden by Sean Veale and erased memories of her luckless defeat in the same race 12 months earlier when she was beaten by Mia Moo.
🇬🇧 UK 🇬🇧
Two notable Royal Ascot trials took place at Haydock on Saturday and Venetian Sun took the first of them, the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes. The 1200metre three-year-old contest is a prep for the G1 Commonwealth Cup and Karl Burke’s filly will be a warm order for that race after her three-length defeat of Division, in the hands of Clifford Lee.
Burke and Lee also took the G2 Temple Stakes with Night Raider. Wathnan Racing’s five-year-old beat last year’s G1 King Charles III Stakes winner American Affair by a length and the pair are likely to have a rematch in that race on June 16th.
What’s Happening
🇦🇺 Australia 🇦🇺
Two G1s take place at Eagle Farm, the Kingsford-Smith Cup and Queensland Derby, won last year by Maison Louis.
🇩🇪 Germany 🇩🇪
The G2 German 2000 Guineas takes place at Cologne on Monday. Francis Graffard pitches in the fast-improving Lord Clover, while Simon and Ed Crisford have leading claims with Dubai winner Title Role.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong 🇭🇰
Sha Tin stages two G3s on Sunday, the Lion Rock Trophy and Sha Tin Vase, won 12 months ago by the John Size-trained Helios Express.
🇯🇵 Japan 🇯🇵
It’s the big one on Sunday! The G1 Tokyo Yushun, or Japanese Derby, will send one colt off to an assured place in history. The G3 Meguro Kinen is the main supporting race at Tokyo.
The G3 Aoi Stakes takes place at Kyoto on Saturday.
🇬🇧 UK 🇬🇧
Thursday’s G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown promises to be a cracker thanks to the return of multiple G1 winner Ombudsman. The Dubai Turf winner could face the promising Gethin, set to make his first start for new owners Wathnan Racing.
The G3 Henry II Stakes could feature 2024 winner Sweet William, as well as the return of Charlie Johnston’s Lazy Griff, second in last year’s Derby.
🇺🇸 USA 🇺🇸
Two G1s take place at Santa Anita on Monday’s Memorial Day card. All eight runners in the Gamely Stakes are seeking their first Grade 1 win, with Take A Breath, May Day Ready and Thought Process among the likely winners.
Eight run in the G1 Shoemaker Mile, including defending champion King Of Gosford. G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile runner-up Formidable Man is set to start favourite for trainer Michael McCarthy and jockey Flavien Prat.
