Romantic Warrior, Laurel River Headline Fabulous Fashion Friday
Laurel River, Romantic Warrior, Measured Time, Facteur Cheval, Tuz… Fashion Friday at Meydan Racecourse has attracted a host of equine stars.
As the highest-earning racehorse of all time, with US$22.82 million in the bank, nine-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior deserves top billing. He lines up in a thrilling edition of the G1 Jebel Hatta (presented by Longines), over 1800metres on turf.
The seven-year-old will be ridden by regular jockey James McDonald, who arrived early to Dubai to partner him in a turf gallop on Tuesday.
“It was a quiet gallop, but he did six furlongs [1200metres] and breezed home,” said McDonald, who will ride in the UAE for the first time on Friday. “He’s got a beautiful nature, nothing fazes him, and he enjoys travelling so it’s a bit like a holiday for him.”
“I believe he’s at 80-90 per cent of his best condition,” trainer Danny Shum added. “If you really want me to give a specific assessment, I would say he’s a little over 80 per cent but not quite 90 per cent.
“He doesn’t need to be in top form right now, because our main goals are the following two races. For his next race on Friday, we don’t need to push him too hard.”
Romantic Warrior’s chief rival looks to be Measured Time, who won this race last year and broke the track record in the G2 Al Rashidiya last time out.
“There’s obviously a slightly different look to this year’s Jebel Hatta, with Romantic Warrior providing a lot of interest, and it’s going to be a great event to be part of,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, who has won this race four times. “We are following the same route we took with Measured Time last year and he was an impressive winner of the Al Rashidiya on his comeback run. He goes into this in great order.”
Appleby also runs Ottoman Fleet, second last year, and added: “Ottoman Fleet hasn’t won around Meydan yet but has produced some admirable efforts at the course. He deserves his place in the field and I am sure he will run another solid race.”
