1 mile 2 furlongs will separate seven runners from the £1.5 million first prize at Sha Tin on Sunday, ahead of the 2023 edition of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Romantic Warrior is attempting to become the first horse in twenty years to win this race – first run in 1975 – in successive years.
Making him the 2.20 favourite, William Hill expects the 5-year-old to do just that. He won by two lengths a year ago then returned to the track in November to win the Grade 2 Jockey Club Cup and December’s Grade 1 Hong Kong Cup.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 28th, 5:30 P.M. (BST)
This year he has finished second in both outings, beaten both times by Champions Mile favourite Golden Sixty in other top grade races.
Karis Teetan took the ride in last year’s QEII and in the 2023 races, but James McDonald, who rode him in the races late last year, will be on board on Sunday.
The nearest challenger is 4.50 shot Dubai Honour for trainer William Haggas. The well-traveled 5-year-old won both the Randwick and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Australia this year after failing to win in England, the UAE or at Sha Tin since victory in the Qatar Prix Dollar at Longchamp in October 2021.
Tom Marquand returned to the saddle for the Queen Elizabeth at Randwick and retains the ride.
Japanese mare Geraldina is at 7.00 for Takashi Saito and jockey Cristian Demuro. A winner of a Grade 1 for fillies in November, last time out she was sixth in the Osaka Hai, both at Hanshin. This will be her first venture outside Japan.
Also making a first trip from the land of the rising sun is Prognosis, ridden by Zac Purton for the first time. Only four races under his belt, the 5-year-old got his first graded winner in the Grade 2 Kinko Sho at Chukyo and is an 8.00 chance.
At 9.00 is the next Japanese-trained entrant, Danon The Kid, for Takayuki Yasuda. Another 5-year-old, he put in a better performance to finish third at the Osaka Hai last time out and was second to Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Cup.
However, in between those two was an eleventh place in a Grade 2 at Nakayama that has somewhat tempered expectations.
There is a gap in the market to Money Catcher, who will certainly help his backers catch a good amount should he win at 17.00. Silvestre De Sousa will take his seventh ride, with his previous six resulting in two wins.
At 34.00, last year’s runner-up Tourbillon Diamond is not expected to put in a repeat performance.
