James McDonald can now officially claim the title ‘World’s Best Jockey’ after receiving the award at a gala function in Hong Kong on Friday night. 

Two days later he gets a golden opportunity to prove why he deserves the mantle when he is thrust into a pressure race on Hong Kong-trained hero Romantic Warrior. 

Romantic Warrior has won seven from eight – including the 2022 Hong Kong Derby and the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes – and returned with a stylish first-up victory over 2000m with McDonald aboard in the G2 Jockey Club Cup. 

That was against the locals though and now Romantic Warrior is set to face a sterner test of his staying capabilities. 

The presence of Japanese front-runner Panthalassa, who jockey Yutaka Yoshida nearly stole the recent G1 Tenno Sho by opening up a massive lead in the middle stages, presents a tactical puzzle and test of nerve for McDonald. 

Romantic Warrior’s style is to relax back in the field but McDonald will need to have his wits about him if Panthalassa reprises his performance at Tokyo. 

Watch Asian Racing Report’s Michael Cox and Andrew Le Jeune dissect the tactical battle: