James McDonald: ‘not one iota’ of doubt about ‘outstanding racehorse’ Romantic Warrior

Superstar rider James McDonald, a perfect three from three aboard “outstanding racehorse” Romantic Warrior, holds no concerns about either Flemington’s anticlockwise track or soft surface and argues there are no holes in the form of Saturday’s Group One Turnbull Stakes (2,000m) favourite.

McDonald, who received the 2022 Longines World’s Best Jockey Award at December’s Hong Kong International Races gala dinner, knows overseas punters are trying to find reasons to oppose Romantic Warrior in the first of his two planned Australian assignments – the Turnbull Stakes and the Group One Cox Plate (2,040m).

But McDonald, triumphant aboard Romantic Warrior in two Group One events and one Group Two contest, possesses “not one iota” of doubt Hong Kong’s champion middle-distance horse will perform well galloping left-handed on what is likely to be the softest ground he has encountered in his career.

Furthermore, McDonald believes the recent runs of some of the star names who have proved no match for Romantic Warrior validate his peak international rating of 124, which he earned for his emphatic Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) demolition job.

Asked to explain why he steered Romantic Warrior’s owner, Peter Lau Pak-fai, and trainer, Danny Shum Chap-shing, in the direction of the Turnbull Stakes and Cox Plate, McDonald said: “He’s a great weight-for-age horse. He handles basically anything you throw at him. He’s competitive against the best horses around. He’s an outstanding racehorse.

“It blew my mind the margin he put into an unbelievable Hong Kong Cup field. From the 400m to the 200m, it was extraordinary. He cantered up to them with two furlongs to run, but to be honest, I didn’t think he’d put four or five lengths on them.

“I know people say they weren’t the best Japanese or the Japanese didn’t turn up. But you can’t say all of them didn’t, and look at what they’ve done since.

“Jack D’Or, the Maurice chestnut with the four white socks, won a Group One in Japan. Panthalassa won the Group One Saudi Cup worth US$20 million.

“Prognosis, whom he beat in the QE II Cup in April, has gone back to Japan and smashed them in a Group Two. Britain’s Dubai Honour, who was third in that Sha Tin race, came to Australia and won two Group Ones by big margins before he went to Hong Kong.”

McDonald has won 80 Group Ones, with his four at Sha Tin coming aboard Romantic Warrior (two), Lucky Sweynesse (this year’s Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup over 1,400m when Zac Purton chose to partner California Spangle) and Xtension (the 2012 Champions Mile).

According to the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 of McDonald’s Group One-winning mounts have received marks of 120 or higher, with only Royal Ascot winner Nature Strip (126), Hong Kong hero Lucky Sweynesse (125) and 2016 Turnbull Stakes victor Hartnell (124) either equalling or exceeding the highest rating bestowed on Romantic Warrior in his 14 starts.

“I don’t want to compare them,” said a diplomatic McDonald, understandably mindful of offending anyone in answering a subjective question. “I hope he’s the best one I throw my leg over. I’d love him to be.”

The Turnbull Stakes, the third of five Flemington contests the Jockey Club will beam into Hong Kong on Saturday for simulcast betting purposes, will get under way at 1.25pm. Romantic Warrior will face a capacity field from a double-digit gate.