Big test for Romantic Warrior

Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior, a multiple Group 1 winner on the world stage, continues his Middle East campaign in tomorrow's Saudi Cup, the world's richest race, four weeks after lowering the track record when bolting up in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan.

- Ed Marnane

Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior, a multiple Group 1 winner on the world stage, continues his Middle East campaign in tomorrow's Saudi Cup, the world's richest race, four weeks after lowering the track record when bolting up in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan. Trained by Danny Shum, Romantic Warrior faces a different challenge in the $20m event as he tackles dirt for the first time in his career. Romantic Warrior's pedigree offers hope he can handle the underfoot conditions, being out of Street Cry mare.

Saeed bin Suroor-trained Street Cry won the Dubai World Cup and was a multiple winner on dirt.

Romantic Warrior, the mount of James McDonald and the world's highest-earning horse, will jump from barrier No 3 in tomorrow's showpiece at the Riyadh track. If the seven-year-old is equally effective on dirt, he will be hard to beat as he bids for a remarkable 11th win at Group 1 level.

Forever Young, winner of the Saudi Derby 12 months ago, is the chief threat for Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi as he bids to become the second winner of the Saudi Cup for the stable, two years after Panthalassa made all the running to narrowly prevail in an exciting finish.

Yahagi has enjoyed terrific success on the world stage and his overseas raiders always command plenty of respect. He has saddled winners of the Cox Plate, the Breeders' Cup and sent out multiple winners in both Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Forever Young, the leading hope of the three Japanese runners, has demonstrated his class in the US last year, finishing a close third in the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup Classic. He arrives in the Middle East at the top of his game, winning his prep, the Tokyo Daishoten (Grade 1) in late December.