James McDonald ‘devastated’ as Romantic Warrior upstaged in thrilling climax to the world’s richest race

Star jockey James McDonald has been left “gutted” following a dramatic finish in the Saudi Cup, with Forever Young fighting back to beat Romantic Warrior on Sunday (AEDT).

As the richest horse race globally, boasting a prize pool of $31.5 million AUD, the outcome was determined in the closing strides when Forever Young surged past McDonald’s mount.

For much of the race, it seemed that the former Cox Plate champion had secured victory along the straight, but the Japanese three-year-old displayed remarkable determination to take the lead.

This defeat marked the first for Romantic Warrior since he lost at the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in 2023 during his Australian campaign.

“I’m incredibly proud of him; he’s a fantastic horse. I’m disappointed with the defeat, but he was valiant in his effort,” McDonald reflected post-race.

“The race unfolded perfectly for us; we had an excellent position behind the leaders. He experienced a bit of kickback, and I thought, ‘get him into clear space’, and he moved beautifully around the field.

“He progressed through his strides really well, continuing to build momentum all the way.

“It just highlights what a great horse Forever Young is and what an exceptional race it was.”

Regarded as the best horse in the world, Romantic Warrior had been in outstanding form leading up to the race in Riyadh and appeared to adapt well to the dirt surface despite his defeat.