With Darcy Cosgriff and Ben Sporle
Romantic Warrior’s much anticipated attempt on the Cox Plate is expected to heavily skew S-TAB betting on the race via the World Pool.
The World Pool is to be conducted on the Cox Plate, as it was to record effect last week in the Caulfield Cup, with the massive interest in Hong Kong’s champion likely to be portrayed in World Pool figures.
The Cox Plate the race connections of Romantic Warrior are after and punters in Hong Kong are expected to follow in numbers beyond those recorded in his Australian debut in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.
In the World Pool market on the race, Romantic Warrior firmed from $1.75 to $1.50 but on fixed odds in Australia, eased from $1.90 to $2.50 before finishing fourth.
A creation of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the World Pool brings together 25 co-mingled tote pools including those of Victoria and NSW.
The expected betting interest on Romantic Warrior will impact the price of other runners just as it did in the Turnbull when the winner Gold Trip eased to $31 on S-TAB but held firm at $19 on the fixed price.
“We saw at Romantic Warrior’s first Australian run that massive support from Hong Kong punters created inflated odds about most of the other runners in the race, that’s a win for punters. If you think Romantic Warrior is a risk in the Cox Plate then the World Pool is likely to present greater value than fixed odds," TAB spokesman Gerad Daffy sadi.
“So, if you like Romantic Warrior you can take the fixed odds now, and if you think he’s going to be some kind of risk there’s going to be opportunity for others on the tote world pool.
“It’s another example of why the World Pools concept is proving a massive hit with TAB customers and has punters across every track talking.”
The flood of money for Romantic Warrior, who has an elite 124 rating already this year, makes his attempt on history on that more mouth-watering as he has a pile of history to overcome.
The David Oughton-trained Cape of Good Hope is the only Hong Kong horse to win in Australia when claiming the 2005 G1 Australia Stakes at The Valley.
Romantic Warrior’s fourth in the Turnbull Stakes was the 48th Hong Kong starter since River Verdon broke new ground and traveled to Australia in 1994. River Verdon tried to win the Cox Plate himself and finished 11th behind Solvit while only two horses have tried since including Elegant Fashion in 2004 who finished 9th and Super Kid the following year clocking in 7th.
Danny Shum is the first Hong Kong trainer to travel a horse to Australia in eight years since John Moore traveled his stayer Dominant for the autumn carnival in Sydney in 2015.
Hong Kong trained horses to race in Australia:
1994
River Verdon - 11th G1 Cox Palte
River Verdon - 20th G1 Melbourne Cup
1995
Makarpura Star - 3rd G3 Coongy Handicap
2002
Able Choice - 2nd Listed McKenzie Stakes
Helene Vitality - 8th G2 Craiglee Stakes
Able Choice - 4th G2 Ascot Vale Stakes
Helene Vitality - 13th G1 Underwood Stakes
Able Choice - 11th G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude
Able Choice - 7th Listed Concept Sports Stakes
Helene Vitality - 4th G2 Turnbull Stakes
Helene Vitality - 12th G1 Caulfield Cup
Helene Vitality - 21st G1 Melbourne Cup
2004
All Thrills Too - 14th G3 Bobbie Lewis
All Thrills Too - 11th G3 Gilgai Stakes
All Thrills Too - 14th G1 Caulfield Sprint
Elegant Fashion - 9th G1 Cox Plate
Elegant Fashion - 4th G1 Mackinnon Stakes
2005
Cape of Good Hope - 3rd G1 Lightning Stakes
Cape of Good Hope - 1st G1 Australia Stakes
Super Kid - 2nd HCAP Caulfield
Super Kid - 2nd G1 Toorak Handicap
Super Kid - 7th G1 Cox Plate
Super Kid - 10th G1 Mackinnon Stakes
Cape of Good Hope - 3rd HCAP Flemington
Always Flying - 9th Listed Lexus Stakes
Cape of Good Hope - 3rd G2 The Age Classic
Always Flying - 3rd HCAP Sandown
Always Flying - 3rd HCAP Flemington
2006
Cape of Good Hope - 3rd G1 Lightning Stakes
2007
Growl - 8th G2 Crystal Mile
Growl - 6th G3 Eclipse Stakes
2009
Forerver Fight - 4th HCAP Cranbourne
2010
Mr Medici - 6th G1 Caulfield Cup
Mr Medici - 10th G1 Melbourne Cup
2011
Happy Zero - 6th G3 McEwen Stakes
Silver Grecian - 6th G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes
Mighty High - 3rd HCAP Caulfield
Happy Zero - 7th G1 Manikato Stakes
Mighty High - 4th G1 Caulfield Stakes
Mighty High - 17th G1 Caulfield Cup
Silver Grecian - 10th G2 Crystal Mile
Happy Zero - 11th G3 Chatham Stakes
Bear Hero - 10th G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes
2013
Lucky Nine - 2nd G1 Manikato Stakes
Lucky Nine - 6th G1 VRC Sprint Classic
2015
Dominant - 5th G1 Ranvet Stakes
Dominant - 6th G1 Sydney Cup
2023
Romantic Warrior - 4th G1 Turnbull Stakes
Romantic Charm - 4th HCAP Geelong