Shum reveals Warrior's challenges

Trainer Danny Shum has lifted the lid on a host of issues that have interrupted current Cox Plate favourite Romantic Warrior’s lead-up to the race.

Shum, who won the 2012 King’s Stand Stakes with Little Bridge at Royal Ascot, said the problems started when he tried to organise his horse’s standard feed to be at Werribee upon the horse’s arrival for quarantine.

“I travel horses quite a lot, you know,” Shum said. “But this time the challenges are the biggest for me and my stable.”

“My horse is eating a feed called Hallway 13, it’s from the USA … I applied for this feed eight weeks ago, I said I want this feed for when the horse comes to Werribee.

“They say it should be ok because eight weeks should be all right … but a week ago, they said, ‘your feed, we cannot (get), you have to find another feed.

“He (Romantic Warrior) used to finish all the feed … now I come in early and check, he always has four pounds, three pounds left from overnight.”

That information is a disturbing development for those who have already taken the 2022 Hong Kong Cup winner in early Cox Plate betting.

Shum’s comments will also likely spark discussion about Racing Victoria’s much-maligned rules surrounding international runners.

The Hong Kong-based trainer explained some of the difficulties associated with the three mandatory CT scans international runners must undergo before racing in Victoria.

“They must do a CT scan before they travel … the second time he needs to do it is before the 7th of October. Then the third time he has a CT scan is before the Cox Plate,” he said.

“When the horses do a CT scan, they need sedation … it is quite painful for me to see the sedation go into the neck and then put him into the machine.

“So, it’s a really big, really big challenge for me.”

However, Shum is anything but defeated, and trusts his support systems to get him and Romantic Warrior to the Cox Plate in top shape.

“Luckily, I have a good team,” he said.

“I have good manpower and the (Hong Kong) Jockey Club supports me.

“I always think, ‘the more difficult, it makes me more tough’ … I think I can do it.”