Hong Kong (AFP) - Romantic Warrior stole the show at Sunday's Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), blowing away his rivals in front of the biggest crowd the Chinese city's Sha Tin course has seen in over three years.
Trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing's horse was the hot favourite in the HK$34 million ($4.4 million) Hong Kong Cup, the city's richest race and one of four features that make up the HKIR.
The horse passed the toughest test of his career with a four-and-a-half-length victory over a field featuring five Japanese riders in the 2,000-metre Group One contest.
"That was a superstar performance, wasn't it," said rider James McDonald, who was also crowned Longines World's Best Jockey in a ceremony in Hong Kong on Friday.
"He put himself in a great spot, fast from the gates, he switched off and Danny Shum has had him in tip-top order the whole time," McDonald added.
Golden Sixty was looking to make history with a record-equalling hat trick in the Hong Kong Mile but fell short.
Instead the race saw a changing of the guard as the two-time Horse of the Year was beaten by the Tony Cruz-trained California Spangle, who finished runner-up to Romantic Warrior in last season's Hong Kong Derby.
Zac Purton orchestrated the upset aboard California Spangle, with the five-time champion jockey landing a record-extending 10th HKIR victory.
"He is a special horse.Unfortunately he's been coming up against a champ and just coming up short, but third time lucky today," Purton said, referencing prior battles with Golden Sixty.
Elsewhere at Sunday's meeting, Japan secured its 20th HKIR victory with Win Marilyn's success in the 2,400-metre Group One Hong Kong Vase.
In the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200 metres), the Richard Gibson-trained Wellington cemented its status as the best speedster Hong Kong has seen in some time with a convincing win.
"He's a very good horse and I'm obviously very fortunate to pick up the ride," Wellington's English rider Ryan Moore said.
"He's a horse that's proven at the top level.The pace was steady early, I was able to get a nice bit of cover just back from midfield, moved into the race comfortably and I got to the front too early to be honest."
