O'Brien unable to outgun Japanese raiders as Glory Vase scores for the Magic Man

Aidan O’Brien was hoping to pull a rabbit out of the hat by turning the Derby winner into the Longines Hong Kong Vase winner, but he was unable to make the Japanese disappear as Glory Vase led home a 1-2-4 for them under the Magic Man Joao Moreira.

Anthony Van Dyck was the first Derby winner to travel to Hong Kong, but the fitting of blinkers for the first time failed to have the desired effect as he faded into 12th under Ryan Moore. All in all it was a tale of woe for the British and Irish team, who filled six of the final eight places.

The Willie Mullins-trained True Self performed best in seventh, while Young Rascal (ninth), Prince Of Arran (11th), Aspetar (13th) and Mount Everest (14th) did not acclimatise to their surroundings at all. And, to think, the Vase was supposed to be the most likely party destination for the visitors. It could not have gone any worse.

Joao Moreira celebrates winning the Hong Kong VaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

Moreira, who won half of the races on the Sha Tin card to complete a fabulous five-timer, needed luck up the home straight on Glory Vase but he always seems to make magic happen around here and he wormed his way through to beat his country compatriot Lucky Lilac by three and a half lengths.

Moreira said: “Good horses, when they face a tough situation, they just get through it. That’s what they do. Just before I turned for home, I found myself in a trap, which meant I had to ride him for luck and try to sneak up the inside. I was hoping a gap would come and fortunately it did. When I got the split, he just dashed through."

Hong Kong’s most prized possession added: “From the 350m pole, I knew I was the winner as I felt I had loads of horse under me. He was attacking the line like a really good horse. It was a pleasure to ride him.”

Anthony Van Dyck was to the fore in the early stages but was back-pedalling from the home turn. Mount Everest was never sighted. Those performances were too bad to be true and O’Brien believed they were feeling the effects of a long campaign.

The trainer said: “It’s been the end of a long season for Anthony Van Dyck and he was just feeling the effects of that, I’d say. He’s had a busy year. We’ll put him away now and he’ll be lovely next season.

"Mount Everest has had a very busy couple of months. He started off later than the others but has done a lot in the last few months.”

Anthony Van Dyck: the Derby winner could not make an impact in the Hong Kong VaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

Frankie Dettori was riding Young Rascal for the first time but there was never any sign of beginner's luck coming his way.

Trainer William Haggas said: “He was off the bridle most of the way. He ran on well and didn’t drop away. Frankie said the ground was a bit quick for him. He lacks experience in these sorts of races, and I think he wants further now but I think he's reformed and quite capable. He'll run in the Sydney Cup over two miles in April."

There was little for Roger Charlton to get excited about at any stage either as Aspetar was always in rear and managed to pass only Mount Everest.

Charlton said: “It wasn’t to be. He was a little bit keen but that’s him. I thought Jason [Watson] had him in a good position but there wasn’t a lot of horse in the straight. I think the ground was too quick for him. He didn’t really let himself go.”

True Self has come a long way from the filly who finished second in a Wetherby bumper for Don Cantillon in 2016 and she performed respectably in seventh.

Rider Kerrin McEvoy said: “She ran well. I got a nice run in behind them and picked up at the top of the lane. We just got a bit outsprinted but it’s a nice, honest run."

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