James McDonald is bullish Romantic Warrior can deliver him back-to-back Triple Crowns when the champion galloper aims to complete a perfect season in Sunday’s Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin.
McDonald was the first rider to claim Hong Kong’s Triple Crown in 31 years when he won last year’s Group One Stewards’ Cup, Group One Gold Cup and Champions & Chater on Voyage Bubble.
River Verdon is only other galloper to achieve the historic feat when winning all three legs in 1993-94.
Danny Shum Chap-shing’s 14-time Group One winner Romantic Warrior boasts a world record HK$271,465,697 in prize money, but still has yet to win a Triple Crown after being narrowly defeated in the final leg in 2023.
“It’s exciting – it would’ve been good if he was going for his second too, because he only got beat a nose in it after going for it a couple years ago. It’s not going to be easy, but he hasn’t put a foot wrong. It’d be a lovely achievement for him to add to his amazing résumé already. It’s very exciting and obviously it’s going to be a big challenge,” McDonald said.
