Chaos on the track: McDonald thought Cup was gone

The world’s best jockey, James McDonald, said he feared his Hong Kong Cup heroics would be foiled by a protestor running across the track, admitting champion Romantic Warrior had started to pull-up.

A lone protestor ran onto the field during the race, with only the quick thinking from staff who tackled the man allowing the race to continue.

McDonald told SEN’s Gareth Hall on Friday that he feared his win would be declared a non-race.

“Yeah, it’s funny, two weeks earlier we had a non-race here in Hong Kong due to a horse doing a U-turn out of the gates and running back towards the field. And we got in a bit of trouble for not pulling up, which we didn’t realise that siren was going,” he said.

“So when I swung for home, I could see something up in my left hand corner that something’s not right here. It’s on the track and my heart sank thinking, oh no, it’s a non-race.”

“I could see some commotion up in the 300 metre mark, or 250. But it’s funny because when I turned for home, Romantic [Warrior] obviously kicked, kicked clear like he does for a hundred meters and you can see his ears just prick and he pulled up.”

“He pulled up and or just slowed down quite dramatically but got going again late.”

“So, yes, they were very close to pushing the button, apparently, and from what I heard, and they say if [staff] didn’t get him to the ground, they might have pushed the button [to call off the race], but jeez, I’d hate to think to come back a week or two later and ride it again.”

McDonald said he was still buzzing from Romantic Warrior’s fourth Hong Kong Cup, likening it to Winx’s four Cox Plates.

“It’s just incredible, right? It’s just something that you wouldn’t have thought he would be able to set out to do, but he’s basically done what Winx did in Australia,” he said.

“Hong Kong Cup’s probably is roughly the equivalent up here, and he’s absolutely been a mastermind.”

“He’s just got the most incredible personality …  he’s got this relentless competitive nature on the track. But you get him in the box, and he’s the kindest animal in the world. So, he’s just one of a kind, just the most intelligent horse.”

McDonald said Romantic Warrior may now head to some of the rich races throughout Asia and the Middle East, but not a Cox Plate. He said despite his age, he still has good races left in him.

“I wouldn’t say he’s definitely slowing down, by all means. You’d think he would probably decrease a little bit, but he’s racing very similar,” he said, adding he was surprised by the obsession with his superstar.

“There was an amount of pressure there. You want to do him proud and do him justice, I suppose, to give him the right run, but he was going as good as ever leading into it, and arguably probably the softest race he’s competed in terms of a Hong Kong Cup. They’ve been full fields over the years and there’s been high-profile horses in it.”

“It’s pretty remarkable to think what he’s achieved. Who’s to say he can’t go for five? The way he’s feeling … I love him.”

“He’s got so many fans.  It was great day’s racing with the three big champs probably standing up and saluting with all their fans but Romantic [Warrior] has got a unique fan base like I haven’t experienced before.”

“They love him to bits.”