Romantic Warrior winning the Cox Plate (Image: Racing Photos)
Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior looks set to take on the world once again, with a trip to Japan in June on the agenda for the Hong Kong superstar.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, trainer Danny Shum has revealed that the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse on June 2 will be an end-of-season goal for the six-year-old.
Romantic Warrior hasn't raced since his tenacious triumph in the G1 Hong Kong Cup in December, but he did win a recent barrier trial at Sha Tin and is due to trial again this week in preparation for the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup on February 25.
The G1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin on April 28 will be the next target for Romantic Warrior, before connections then turn their attention towards his trip to Japan.
"He's good," Shum told the South China Morning Post.
"He's been working well, and he'll trial on Tuesday."
WATCH: Romantic Warrior's Hong Kong Cup win
While he's best known as a star middle-distance galloper, Romantic Warrior does boast a win in the 2022 Hong Kong Classic Mile and a second placing to local champion Golden Sixty in his two runs over the Yasuda Kinen distance of 1600m.
"That track in Japan, the 1600m is similar to 1800m," Shum said.
"It's a long straight and it's up and down, so I think he can handle it."