Hong Kong International Sale graduate Romantic Warrior has now reached a tally of 11 Group 1s in four different jurisdictions, as the James McDonald-ridden seven-year-old ran out a convincing length and three-quarters winner over Bellagio Opera in his latest Group 1 success.

McDonald broke well and sat just behind a steady pace set largely by Joseph O’Brien’s Galen, whose rider Dylan Browne McMonagle tried  to get first run on the field as the group of seven turned into the home straight.

Romantic Warrior was travelling well within himself and with 400m remaining, he was in front and was never going to be passed despite the late challenge from Bellagio Opera, with Quisisana sneaking in late for third.

Shum very proud of Romantic Warrior

Winning trainer Danny Shum said of his multiple Group 1 winner:

“I’m very proud of Romantic Warrior and our stable team, they work really hard. It’s a big relief. He always gives me a lot of happiness, not only me but my stable, owners, my family and in Hong Kong, even racing fans or non-racing fans, they all love Romantic Warrior.

“To be honest, there was a lot of pressure. He had his surgery (when a screw was inserted in his left front leg at the end of May), but he is such a good, calm, lovely horse. He’s part of my family, I love him. My son says I love Romantic Warrior more than him!

“He’s very easy to train. He doesn’t need too much work and his body weight will tell you, his appetite will tell you how fit he is.”

It’s FOUR Hong Kong Cups for the brilliant ROMANTIC WARRIOR! @HKJC_Racing | @HongKong_Racing | #HKIR | #HKRacing pic.twitter.com/f2sEElvud7

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 14, 2025

Romantic Warrior is likely to be aimed another another clash with Forever Young, who he pushed all the way to the line in that famous Group 1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) showdown earlier this year.

“He’s so special”

The successful rider, James McDonald, summed up his admiration for Romantic Warrior by stating:

“He’s so special, he’s so special. He’s just a freak. I don’t know what to say. I just love him. I love him.”

Dylan Browne McMonagle, the rider of the Joseph O’Brien-trained Galen, who out-ran his odds of 25/1 to finish fourth, said of the four-year-old son of Gleneagles:

“He’s a very, very tough horse and he wears his heart on his sleeve. We were drawn a little bit wide and he didn’t step as well as he usually does, which meant I had to work a little bit around the first bend. But I got into a nice rhythm and he was tough the whole way to the line.”

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Defending champion Giavellotto pursued Sosie and jockey Maxime Guyon all the way to the line but could not reverse the placings from October’s Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m), in which the pair finished third and fourth.

Breaking from stall eight, Guyon had Sosie nicely placed one off the rail and two places back from the early leader Eydon. The latter was overtaken halfway down the back straight by Urban Chic as Christophe Lemaire attempted to inject some urgency into proceedings.

As the field began to turn for home, Guyon went the safe route to the outside of the fading Urban Chic, while Christophe Soumillon took the daring route up the rail aboard Goliath, staying on well for third.

“Everything went very smoothly,” Guyon said, who added to wins in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase aboard Flintshire (2014) and Junko (2023).

“I followed Los Angeles for three-quarters of the race, but halfway round the home turn, Ryan’s (Moore, jockey) horse began to falter. This horse can really sustain his run, and he is such a hard horse to pass.

“The horse has such a great temperament and he is so easy to put anywhere in a race.”

Earlier this season, Sosie also triumphed in the Group 1 Prix Ganay and the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan.

“He is an incredible horse,” Guyon said. “This was the first time he’d travelled across continents, and yet he’s been relaxed every morning this week, and he’s looked amazing.”

"Same owner, same trainer, same jockey… I'm really happy for us!"

Maxime Guyon landed the prize aboard Junko for the same connections in 2023 and now reacts to guiding Sosie to success in the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin…@HKJC_Racing | @HongKong_Racing | #HKIR | #HKRacing pic.twitter.com/OQSy2iQSLP

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 14, 2025

This season’s Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden winner, Goliath, claimed third place. Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa, in the hands of Dylan Browne McMonagle, was fourth, with the Donegal rider stating:

“He ran a super race. He wasn’t the quickest into stride from the gates which wasn’t ideal over this trip but he finished good.”

Los Angeles, in his final race before taking up NH stud duties was fifth home under Ryan Moore, the English jockey saying post race:

“He ran very well, I was happy with him.”

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Trained by Joseph O’Brien, the well-travelled son of Wootton Bassett, is owned by Australian Bloodstock, and is now the favourite for the Melbourne Cup in November.

Absolute demolition job

𝐀𝐥 𝐑𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐚 dazzles from off the speed in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh pic.twitter.com/YKC4KwU22h

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 14, 2025

Ridden by Donegal-born jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, the five-year-old ran out a four-length victor over British raider Amiloc (2/1), in the hands of Rossa Ryan.

Another overseas raider, Al Qareem, trained in Yorkshire by Karl Burke, was third, at 12/1 for rider Clifford Lee.

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Ridden by Ben Coen, the three-year-old son of Wootton Bassett, led home a 1-2 for Murtagh and owners, the Aga Khan Studs.

Stable companion Tangapour (300/1) took the runner-up spot under jockey Séamie Heffernan, who lengths behind the winner.

Galen (8/1), who like the second placed finisher, was prominent throughout the one mile two furlongs Group 3 contest, came third for Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Los Angeles, the 4/7 favourite, disappointed for the second race in a row, as he only managed fourth place in the six-runner contest for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien.

A CRACKING result for @JohnnyMurtagh

Zahrann overcomes some trouble in-running to lead home a stable one-two in the feature Royal Whip Stakes under @BenCoen2.

What do we make of that run from Los Angeles? @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/JquyCFgjBF

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 16, 2025

The winning handler, Johnny Murtagh, who has always held Zahrann in high regard, nominated the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown next month as the son of Night Of Thunder’s next target.

Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial

The second Group 3 race on the eight-race card was the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial over a mile and six furlongs.

The field was reduced to only four runners when Uxmal was withdrawn early on the afternoon due to the ground.

Leinster (6/1) won the race for Joseph O’Brien – completing a double for the handler – while it was the final part of a four-timer for jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle.

What a day for @DylanBrowneMcM

Leinster scoots clear to land the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes, completing a brilliant four-timer for the rider.@JosephOBrien2 | @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/0Ua9TnJ2uc

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 16, 2025

Dylan Browne McMonagle four-timer

Donegal jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle completed a four-timer with Mushaffar (5/1), Ipanema Queen (6/5 favourite), Queen Of Mougins (17/2) and Leinster (6/1)

Mushaffar took the opening maiden for trainer Joseph O’Brien. Race favourite Ipanema Queen won the Listed Mitsubishi Electric Curragh Irish EBF Curragh Stakes over the minimum distance for handler Adrian Murray.

"She's very fast."

The bang in-form @DylanBrowneMcM gives us his verdict on Curragh Listed winner Ipanema Queen pic.twitter.com/t3UnyeCt2Q

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 16, 2025

Browne McMonagle and Murray successfully teamed up again in the fifth race, the Kwiff: Supercharge Your Horse Racing Betting Handicap, when Queen Of Mougins, was successful.

It was the third part of Browne McMonagle’s four-timer on the day, and a double for Murray, who also completed a double last Saturday at the same venue.

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Carrying the colours of MacLennan, Shanahan, Magnier and Smith, the two-year-old son of Wootton Bassett battled with race favourite Antelope Canyon (5/4 favourite) and Wayne Lordan inside the final furlong of the race, with the former getting the upper hand by a head.

Despite a stewards’ inquiry being called, the result remained unchanged.

Joseph O’Brien also provided the third and fourth place finishers with Celtic Motif (16/1) and Valencia (9/1) respectively.

Celtic Motif, in the hands of Mikey Sheehy, was three lengths behind the runner-up, but had a length and a half in hand on his stable companion, Valencia and Chris Hayes.

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The Joseph O’Brien-trained 12/1 chance claimed the scalp of the 4/5 favourite Henri Matisse, trained by the winning handler’s father, Aidan.

Scorthy Champ, ridden by Donegal jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, had three-quarters of a length in hand on runner-up Henri Matisse, under Ryan Moore, with British raider Seagulls Eleven (7/1) the same distance further back with Oisín Murphy in third.

First winner in Ireland for Hollie Doyle

Bradsell gave jockey Hollie Doyle her first winner in Ireland this afternoon in the Group 1 Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes.

Trained by Archie Watson in England, the four-year-old son of Tasleet led home a British-trained clean sweep with the visitors claiming the first six places.

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Dunum (100/30f), a close third in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap here on Tuesday evening, gained deserved compensation with victory in the Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF ‘Ahonoora’ Handicap over 7 furlongs.

Trained in County Armagh by Natalia Lupini, the bay gelded son of Ivawood was running a distance that was one furlong shorter than his previous race.

Dunum gains a deserved big-race success for Natalia Lupini & @wjlee24786 with victory in the €110,000 @irishebf_ “Ahonoora” Handicap at @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/oFcQLvvfDT

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

The Maurice Burns and Michael McCarton-owned five-year-old was well positioned throughout the €110,000 contest, taking the lead in the home straight. Despite the best effort of Snapraerterea, the eventual runner-up, Dunum was a comfortable two-length winner under jockey Billy Lee.

“It’s been a good week.”@wjlee24786 on victory for Dunum in the “Ahonoora” Handicap at @Galway_Races

A good week for the rider with three winners at Ballybrit pic.twitter.com/LYQLuCc1lg

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

Teed Up (4/6f), who won the Monday night feature and was runner-up on Friday, claimed a second success of this year’s Galway Races when winning the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle for the second year in a row.

Ridden today by four-pound claimer Conor Clarke, the Emmet Mullins-trained son of Gleneagles was a three and a half length winner over Gold Speed, with Bythesametaoken a head further back in third.

Mullins later completed a double when Malbay Madness (6/5f) came wide and late on the outside of the field under Colin Keane to take the Ireland West Airport Knock Handicap.

The good form of jockey Ray Barron continued as he won his third race of the week, this time aboard My Design (14/1) for Waterford trainer Declan Queally in the Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle.

Fighting Fit was a shock 33/1 winner of the Lord Hempill Memorial Handicap Chase for Kildare handler Philip Dempsey. The Gavin Brouder-ridden eight-year-old had failed to complete on his two previous starts back in April.

Saint Sam was an all-the-way winner of the Eileen Kelly Memorial Chase under the week’s leading jockey Paul Townend and champion trainer Willie Mullins.

Running in the silks of Edward Ware, the six-year-old was winner of a Grade 3 chase at Killarney in May.

Classy performance

Saint Sam justifies 4/7 favouritism to land this €25,000 prize for @WillieMullinsNH & @PTownend at @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/TpasOxTeoF

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

Stromberg (1/5f) was a fifth success of the week for Donegal rider Dylan Browne McMonagle, when winning the Kinlay Hostel Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden for Joseph O’Brien and owners Teme Valley.

Nice turn of foot

Bond villain in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, the equine Stromberg (Iffraaj) opens his account at the second time of asking for @DylanBrowneMcM (fifth winner of the week) & @JosephOBrien2 at @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/g58tn8bqMC

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

The concluding race of the 2023 Galway Racing Festival saw 4/9 favourite You Oughta Know give Willie Mullins a 10th winner of the week. The Luke McMahon-owned winner was ridden by the trainer’s son, Patrick.

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