15-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior has been retired due to injury.
The Hong Kong superstar amassed north of £28m in prize money across a glittering six-year career; no horse in the history of the sport earning more.
He first got on the board over six furlongs at Happy Valley in October 2021 and went on to win 24 of his 31 racecourse starts, his last success coming in the Group 1 The Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin.
Danny Shum's eight-year-old won the prestigious QEII Cup on four occasions -- twice more than the next best -- bringing up his fourth and final victory on his penultimate start in April, defeating Tenno Sho winner Masquerade Ball.
Speculation surrounding Romantic Warrior's future career began last month when a physical examination revealed changes to a joint in his leg and after further tests, connections, alongside the Hong Kong Jockey reached the decision to bring his racing career to an end.
"Romantic Warrior’s connections, in consultation with the club’s veterinarians, have decided to retire Romantic Warrior from racing following further detailed diagnostic imaging and assessment of his front leg at the club’s state-of-the-art veterinary hospital," the Hong Kong Jockey Club said in a statement released on Wednesday morning.
"Romantic Warrior will spend the next three months at Conghua Racecourse under the continued monitoring of the club’s veterinarians before being transitioned to his retirement home with the assistance of the club’s Restart Racehorse Aftercare Programme, which involves a holistic approach to horse aftercare following the completion of racing careers."
As well as sweeping top prizes domestically in Hong Kong, Romantic Warrior was also prolific on his travels, recording top-level victories at Moonee Valley, Tokyo and Meydan.
His first Australian effort ended in defeat to Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip in the Turnbull Stakes, but he bounced back quickly, landing the Cox Plate at the Valley just three weeks later.
Returning to Hong Kong two months later, he won the first of his four Hong Kong Cup titles, defeating Aidan O'Brien's Luxembourg to net a cool £2,146,964.
So often horses fade on the biggest stage leading up to their retirement, however, he continued to defy his age, winning all four of his starts this year; his performance in the The Stewards' Cup arguably the best of his career in beating Lucky Sweynesse by one-and-three-quarter-lengths.
Romatic Warrior's 24th and final win saw him take his total earnings to £28,028,453.
