Francis Lui believes Cap Ferrat’s current vein of form is well-timed ahead of Sunday’s (24 May) HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin, where Romantic Warrior is attempting to write even more racing history.
An all-conquering Romantic Warrior has earned his shot at Hong Kong’s Triple Crown following triumphs in the HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) in January and the HK$13 million G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) in March, while Cap Ferrat – winner of last year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) – brings a contrasting record.
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Looking to Improve Off Last Year’s Third
Third in the 2025 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, Cap Ferrat suffered a setback earlier this season. Following five months of remedial work, the 113-rater posted a rousing seventh in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) on 6 April before his career-best second in the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on 26 April, his most recent outing.
“I’m happy. My assistant trainer Vincent (Sit) rode him and he was very happy with his gallop (on Tuesday, 19 May). I think his condition right now is the best he’s been in all season because this is his third run (after the setback) and fourth this season,” Lui said.
Cap Ferrat worked in 1m 20.6s (30.4, 27.3, 22.9) with Group 1-placed stablemate Winning Wing, who paired with regular rider Dylan Mo in the hit-out. Australian jockey Craig Williams, who was aboard Cap Ferrat in last year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby and his FWD Champions Mile second placing, reunites this weekend.
Lui said: “He surprised me last start. He placed in this race last season, so hopefully we can be in the first three. Craig Williams is a good partner.”
Williams is one of world racing’s most renowned riders, having won Group 1s in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. He’s also ridden 127 winners in Hong Kong across several visits.
Also entered to run in the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, Winning Wing placed three runs back in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup behind Romantic Warrior before his most recent third to Romantic Thor in the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) on 3 May.
“You can see last start he showed he can handle this distance. We don’t know about the level yet, but the distance, sure,” Lui said.
Lui, 67, has 50 winners this season, including a treble last Sunday (17 May) to vault into fourth in the 2025/26 trainers’ championship – four wins behind leader Danny Shum.
Mark Newnham is second on 52, while Caspar Fownes has 51. David Hayes (48 wins) and John Size (46) round out the top six ahead of tonight’s (Wednesday, 20 May) Happy Valley meeting, the 73rd of 88 scheduled fixtures. The season will conclude on 15 July.
Romantic Warrior gallops ahead of Triple Crown Bid
Romantic Warrior will take his shot at history when he lines up in Sunday’s (24 May) HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin, bidding to become just the third horse to secure Hong Kong’s Triple Crown.
River Verdon (1993/94) and Voyage Bubble last season are the only two horses to have completed the rare treble – an opportunity which has arisen for Danny Shum’s 14-time Group 1 winner following his victories in January’s HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and the HK$13 million G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) in March.
Coasting through a turf gallop this morning (Tuesday, 19 May) at Sha Tin, Romantic Warrior worked alongside fellow Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup contender Romantic Thor, who is also trained by Shum and co-owned by Peter Lau.
An excited Romantic Thor – under the hands of leading rider Zac Purton – led Romantic Warrior down the back straight of the rain-sodden grass track. The almighty Hong Kong International Sale graduate strode powerfully under his own steam to finish slightly ahead of his workmate, covering 1200m in a time of 1m 17.3s (27.7, 26.2, 23.4).
Shum said: “I think both horses worked good. They galloped on the turf, and it was just a normal gallop at a normal speed – not too fast, not too slow. It’s just so they can enjoy themselves. Both riders were happy afterwards.
“It’ll be a challenge. Romantic Warrior has only raced over 2400 metres once before when he ran second, but that time he was quite keen. He’s getting older now, so he’s easier to control and, hopefully, he can handle the distance. He’s amazing – he’s such a talented animal.”
