'It was very encouraging going into the main event' - pleasing trial for Romantic Warrior ahead of 14th Group 1 bid

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Romantic Warrior, the world’s highest-earning racehorse, remains on track to bid for a record-extending fourth FWD QEII Cup after pleasing leading jockey Hugh Bowman in a Sha Tin trial on Tuesday.

The Danny Shum-trained star, successful in the Group 1 in 2022, 2023 and 2024, finished an untested second in a mile turf trial ahead of the £2.87 million contest on FWD Champions Day on April 26.

“He was great. He went through his paces and was nice and relaxed,” Bowman said. “He can have a tendency to be a bit fresh and overdo it, but he was really settled, which was very encouraging going into the main event. He went to the line well and had a good blow, which will bring him on from a fitness perspective.”

A 13-time Group 1 winner across Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and the UAE, Romantic Warrior has earned a world-record £25.7 million and will attempt to add to that against a strong international field featuring Group 1 winners Masquerade Ball, Sosie and the Karl Burke-trained Royal Champion.

Burke's contender gained a first Group 1 success on his latest start when landing the Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh in February. The eight-year-old has also raced in Canada and Australia but will be making his first start in Hong Kong.

James McDonald will ride Romantic Warrior in the QEII Cup, while Bowman, who rode Winx to 25 Group 1 victories, is booked for My Wish in the Group 1 Champions Mile.

Bowman said of My Wish: “He’s going well. I thought his run was excellent in the recent Group 2 race and he looks set to peak at the right time. The draw will be important in determining how the race unfolds, but on his last run he doesn't need to improve much to be competitive. He'll just need things to fall his way.”

Docklands: set to run in the Champions MileCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

My Wish was beaten a short head by Lucky Sweynesse in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy over a mile on April 6 and that rival is set to reoppose on Champions Day, where the Harry Eustace-trained Docklands provides more British interest.

Docklands made a winning return in the Doncaster Mile last month after a productive 2025 campaign, which included victory in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. He is no stranger to international racing, having contested the Hong Kong Mile in each of the last two years, most recently finishing fourth to Voyage Bubble in December.

The world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising will bid to extend his remarkable Sha Tin winning run to 20 in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, while the six-time Group 1-placed Helios Express, who has finished behind Ka Ying Rising 12 times, is among the opposition once again and will be ridden by Bowman.

The jockey said of Helios Express: “He’s a very consistent horse and a pleasure to ride. He takes on Ka Ying Rising again, but the presence of Satono Reve adds another dimension to the race. We know his pattern and the draw will be key to where he settles. His prep run was excellent.”

Also contesting the Chairman's Sprint Prize is the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Comanche Brave, Native Approach and Fast Network.

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