Globetrotter Highland Reel faces formidable French challenge in Vase

The hosts have described the Longines Hong Kong International Races as “the world’s year-end Group 1 extravaganza, the final confluence of elite international talent channelled into four great races”.

Cynics might argue that the final confluence for HKIR 2017 contains just two of the top 20 horses as laid down in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings, but the run-up to Christmas is surely no time for cynicism.

And anyone who enjoys high-class global Flat racing will find much to ponder if they forego their Sunday lie-in to watch four Sha Tin Group 1 contests with more than £8 million in prize-money on offer and more than 20 Group 1 winners.

Hong Kong holds the Sprint aces thanks to Mr Stunning and Lucky Bubbles, while last year’s winner Beauty Only bids to double up in a wide-open Mile featuring ten horses within 5lb of each other on international ratings.

Former HK Horse of the Year Werther provides the main stumbling block to Sir Michael Stoute’s Poet’s Word in the HK Cup, but the main event from a Euro viewpoint is clearly the battle of the Breeders’ Cup Turf winners.

Andre Fabre’s Talismanic blossomed to thwart Highland Reel at Del Mar, but Aidan O’Brien’s ultimate road warrior has dusted off his passport for an astonishing 22nd time in a bid to end one of the great globetrotting careers on a high.

The master of Ballydoyle has clearly bought into the notion of keeping stars on the go and the HK authorities remain committed to doing whatever is necessary to tempt the very best from the east and west to Sha Tin in December.

Six years have passed since John Gosden cast his beady eye across the European racing landscape and said “the future of Flat racing is all to the east of us”.

One day, Big John or one of his fellow grand dukes will deliver the ultimate vote of Euro confidence to Hong Kong International Races week by sending a champion such as Enable or a budding superstar like Cracksman on the 6,000-mile flight to Sha Tin.

Until that day comes – and it will come when all the stars align – then this weekend’s confluence will do very nicely, thank you.

6.00 Sha Tin (Sunday)
Longines Hong Kong Vase | 1m4f | 3yo+ | ATR/RUK

If sentiment alone won races they could parcel up the Vase and send it straight to Ballydoyle.

Highland Reel has a huge following among Hong Kong punters not known for sentiment but the key issue as he bids to end his amazing career on a high is what price he will start on the local tote.

Aidan O’Brien’s remarkable globetrotter has been trading at 5-2 or 11-4 with British bookmakers and that is very fair for a horse who subdued the high-class Flintshire here two years ago before being nailed close home at odds-on by Japanese star Satono Crown last year.

However, the presence of Ryan Moore in the irons can have a striking effect on HK markets.

Highland Reel looks in great shape, but he was below his best when a narrow third behind Talismanic in his bid for a second Breeders’ Cup Turf win at Del Mar last month and there could be mileage in an each-way option to foil the Hollywood ending.

The Breeders' Cup Turf winner Talismanic works on the all-weather track at Sha Tin and looks to foil Highland Reel's fairytale end to his racing careerCredit: Hugh Routledge

Talismanic clearly improved for fast ground in California so conditions here will suit, while Japanese St Leger winner Kiseki has overcome a bout of ringworm and is dangerous as an improving three-year-old receiving 5lb.

Gold Mount (formerly Primitivo when he won at Royal Ascot for Alan King) looks the pick of a beatable home team, but the Melbourne Cup has provided the key to the Vase before and could do so again thanks to Max Dynamite and Tiberian.

The form book suggests Max Dynamite is the pick after he finished an excellent third at Flemington, but Tiberian caught the eye in seventh, travelling powerfully from a wide draw but paying a predictable penalty for the huge move Olivier Peslier asked him to make on the final bend.

This consistent and much-improved French horse beat Talismanic twice on soft ground in the spring. Much has changed since but Tiberian doesn’t have that much to find with the favourites. On form he should be a 10-1 shot, but the fact that his trainer Alain Couetil has a low international profile could see him start at much more tempting odds.

6.40 Sha Tin (Sunday)
Longines Hong Kong Sprint | 6f | 3yo+ | ATR/RUK

South Africa and Japan have taken this prize away from the home team during the last decade but this crop of local sprinters is strong and on recent form Mr Stunning is the pick.

On balance, it’s hard to find many flaws in the favourite.

His legendary local trainer John Size has a surprisingly low-key record in HKIR contests with just one winner from 37 runners but Mr Stunning has thrived and is now the highest-rated horse in Hong Kong after an emphatic defeat of six of this field in the Jockey Club Sprint.

But the bare result of that Group 2 contest doesn’t tell the full story.

Mr Stunning travelled sweetly under Nash Rawiller and forged clear in a manner which suggests Amazing Kids, D B Pin, The Wizardofoz and Peniaphobia need him to regress if they are to turn the form around.

However, back in ninth was a horse who has beaten Mr Stunning before and might just do so again if he gets the sort of smooth passage so essential in top-level sprints.

Some wags refer to Lucky Bubbles as Lucky Troubles due to his tendency to find traffic problems, but he pipped Mr Stunning in the Chairman’s Sprint in May and can be forgiven his Jockey Club Sprint no-show when jammed on the inside from a long way out.

Signs Of Blessing ran well from a wide draw to be fifth last year and is better berthed in stall five now, while fellow French raider The Right Man is a Group 1 winner but could find Hong Kong conditions faster than ideal.

Hugh Bowman is an excellent booking for Lucky Bubbles in the Hong Kong SprintCredit: Vince Caligiuri

Thewizardofoz can go well if the pace is demanding, but there is little between Mr Stunning and Lucky Bubbles when both are at their best.

Hugh Bowman is a great booking for Lucky Bubbles and he looks the value bet to make up for an agonising short-head second in this last year.

Longines Hong Kong Mile (Group 1) | 1m| 3yo+| ATR/RUK

The most open Group 1 of the day could be a thing of beauty but the question is, which of two strong contenders carrying the Beauty prefix of the powerful Kwok family is the better option?

Beauty Only is 0-8 since getting the better of Helene Paragon under Zac Purton in this race 12 months ago and the feisty Aussie says “I still feel December has come around just a little bit quickly for him.”

Perhaps it has, but Beauty Only has shown his ability remains intact more than once this term, most recently when staying on strongly for fourth behind Seasons Bloom in the Jockey Club Mile last month.

Seasons Bloom has improved this season but meets Beauty Only on 5lb worse terms this time, while Helene Paragon is a hardened Group 1 miler but has been working lethargically after a troublesome eye problem.

Aidan O’Brien is double-handed with the much-travelled Lancaster Bomber and triple Group 1 winner Roly Poly. A case can be made for both, as it can for the muscular Japanese raider Satono Aladdin, but Maurice is the only foreigner to take this in the last decade and the visitors might just come up shy again.

Roly Poly exercises at Sha Tin on ThursdayCredit: Hong Kong Jockey Club

In truth, this year’s Mile looks by far the most difficult Group 1 punting puzzle of the day. The stronger the gallop the more likely it is Beauty Only will have a big say again, but anyone looking for an each-way option at a double-figure price could try Beauty Generation.

John Moore’s gelding had every chance when third in the Jockey Club Mile but he’s improved since being allowed to bowl along and might just be underestimated with leading local rider Derek Leung in the saddle.

8.30 Sha Tin (Sunday)
Longines Hong Kong Cup (Group 1) | 1m2f | 3yo+ | ATR/RUK

The most valuable prize on HKIR day has gone abroad six times in the last decade and local hero Werther carries a heavy responsibility into battle against dangerous rivals from home and abroad.

The former Hong Kong Horse of the year does so with a ringing endorsement from trainer John Moore, who says the six-year-old is his best chance of a HKIR winner “by a furlong” after a trouble-free prep.

There is no doubt Werther’s best form can take him very close, but it’s hard to have maximum confidence at 2-1 in a race of this quality when the Moore yard’s strike-rate has dipped way below its normal level.

And it isn’t as if this field featuring contenders from Ireland, Japan, Britain and France lacks depth.

Japanese raider Neorealism beat Werther under an inspired Joao Moreira ride in a Group 1 here in April. He disappointed on his sole subsequent run but conditions were attritional and astute handler Noriyuki Hori boasts three winners and four horses in the frame from just eight HKIR runners.

Poet’s Word wasn’t up to beating Europe’s elite but has to be respected despite a wide draw, while Secret Weapon and Stephanos were placed behind Maurice last year and Deauville, War Decree and the much-improved Blond Me bolster the Irish and British challenge.

Hong Kong Cup contender Poets Word at work on the turf track at Sha TinCredit: Hugh Routledge

However, if you like Werther then it’s also possible to make a case for the horse who made him work hard in the Jockey Club Cup here last month.

Time Warp lost his first seven races in Hong Kong after leaving Sir Mark Prescott to join Tony Cruz but he’s thrived since, impressing from the front on the clock several times before running Werther to a neck despite drifting right on his latest start.

Prescott unleashed his colourful brand of after-dinner speaking on a Hong Kong audience at the Carbine Club lunch and knows all about what is needed to thrive here having sold Comic Strip to John Moore in 2005.

Comic Strip went on to be pipped by Ramonti in this when renamed Viva Pataca during a HK career in which he collected almost £6m in prize-money.

Time Warp needs a career best if he is to take revenge on Werther but he’s progressive and could get many of this field in trouble if Zac Purton can time his run for home perfectly.

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com