Winning Group Ones in Hong Kong has become a fruitful pursuit for James McDonald and Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges says “it’s only a matter of time” before the superstar Kiwi makes a permanent move to the city.

McDonald bagged a sixth elite-level win on Hong Kong soil in the space of 15 months and continued his relentless streak at Sha Tin’s marquee racedays when he took out the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m) aboard Romantic Warrior on Sunday.

To go with his triumph in last month’s Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) aboard Voyage Bubble and last season’s Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) on Lucky Sweynesse, McDonald claimed a fourth Group One at Sha Tin aboard Danny Shum Chap-shing’s stable star in the HK$13 million contest.

Romantic Warrior prevailed in a ding-dong battle with Voyage Bubble and Zac Purton to ensure it was another lucrative smash-and-grab mission for McDonald, who left Sha Tin with a weekend treble.

Considering the 32-year-old now holds three of the seven Group One contests to take place so far in Hong Kong this season, it’s no wonder Engelbrecht-Bresges is optimistic the Kiwi’s name will be on the roster sooner rather than later.

“There comes a time when hopefully he is here permanently, but you have to understand that he wants to achieve other things too,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “The good thing is he feels really at home here. For me, it’s only a matter of time.”

McDonald has enjoyed the best of both worlds this season by riding winning chances in most of Australia’s biggest races while jetting in and out of Hong Kong for a handful of meetings and an extended five-week stint.

Snaring 20 winners from 15 meetings at a 17.1 per cent strike rate, the Kiwi has enjoyed plenty of success during his time in the city this term and is operating at a smidgen below Purton’s 17.9 per cent winning rate for the season.

McDonald has been churning out the winners for John Size (29 per cent), Ricky Yiu Poon-fai (29 per cent) and Danny Shum Chap-shing (23 per cent), while his lack of rides aboard gallopers hailing from the yards of Pierre Ng Pang-chi and Francis Lui Kin-wai – who sit first and second in the trainers’ championship – only emphasise his success.

He has collected a touch under HK$70 million in prize money from his 117 mounts, behind only Karis Teetan (HK$83 million) and Purton ($125 million), and is thriving in the ultra-competitive jurisdiction.

“I enjoy riding in Hong Kong,” McDonald said before landing the Gold Cup on Sunday. “You’re throwing in jockeys from all around the world and everyone has their different attributes and skills, so it is always good fun.”

McDonald hasn’t given any concrete indication as to when he may be calling Sha Tin home, but his fun in the city is every chance to continue this season.

It’s plausible McDonald could plunder nearly half of Hong Kong’s 12 Group One contests by the end of the 2023-24 campaign, with big-race rides aboard Lucky Sweynesse in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup in just under three weeks and Romantic Warrior in April’s Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) looming.

WATC Derby winner misses Classic Cup cut

The Caspar Fownes-trained Awesome Fluke has missed out on this Sunday’s Classic Cup (1,800m) after entries for the second leg of the four-year-old series were released.

A three-time winner from 13 starts in Australia, Awesome Fluke – previously known as Awesome John – finished his career Down Under with a Group Two WATC Derby (2,400m) triumph last April.

While the son of Awesome Rock is still a Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) contender, he has to settle for first reserve in the Classic Cup after failing to fire in his five starts in the city.

Awesome Fluke is rated one point inferior to the 74-rated Simply Maverick and Tony Cruz-trained Fallon, who both take their chance in the 14-strong field.

The David Hayes-trained Star Mac is only rated 69 but qualifies for the contest after placing in last month’s Classic Mile behind impressive winner Helios Express and Helene Feeling, who both face the 1,800m challenge.

Four-time victor Chill Chibi missed out on the Classic Series opener after suffering lameness but will be thrown into the deep end for his first outing at Sha Tin in this weekend’s feature.

Ryan Moore rode Ensued during the galloper’s time with trainer James Fanshawe in England and last year’s Longines World’s Best Jockey will reunite with the John Size-trained son of Lemon Drop Kid for the contest.

Mickael Barzalona hops aboard Speed Dragon after finishing a luckless fourth in the Classic Mile, while Blake Shinn returns to Hong Kong for the ride on Elliptical.

Cruz also saddles Beauty Crescent and California Voce, while Ka Ying Generation, Chancheng Glory and the regally bred Unbelievable complete the line-up.