O'Brien hoping blinkers can spark Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck to Vase glory

It is very rare to see a Derby winner finishing his Classic campaign in Hong Kong and rarer still to see one wearing blinkers, but Aidan O'Brien believes headgear will help Anthony Van Dyck sharpen up as he seeks a first win since in the Longines Hong Kong Vase.

There are stars everywhere you look at Sha Tin on Sunday, but the locals are loving the fact that a Derby winner has made the trip from Ireland and O'Brien has issued an upbeat bulletin on Anthony Van Dyck, who will come out of stall 12 under Ryan Moore.

"Anthony Van Dyck has travelled over well and Dean [Gallagher], who has been riding him every day, has been really happy with him. Ryan [Moore] gave him a spin on the grass on Thursday too and he was very happy," O'Brien said.

On the decision to use blinkers, the Ballydoyle trainer added: "We have decided to go with the blinkers as we just felt that on a sharp track like Sha Tin they might sharpen him up a bit. He is very straightforward, but he can be a bit lazy so we hope the blinkers might just sharpen him up."

Anthony Van Dyck: will wear blinkers in the Longines Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin on SundayCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

O'Brien won the Vase twice with the globetrotting sensational Highland Reel and he warned not to forget Mount Everest, who started the season as Derby favourite before a spring setback ruled him out of the race.

Wayne Lordan, who won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf aboard Iridessa, takes the ride.

"Mount Everest started off later than most of ours this year and has been progressing slowly with every run. Dean [Gallagher] rode him on the grass on Thursday and he said he felt very good," O'Brien said.

Elsewhere, emerging jockey Jason Watson will try to create Hong Kong history on Aspetar.

Victory on the improving four-year-old will see the 19-year-old become the youngest winning jockey of any of the four Group 1s on Sha Tin's super Sunday.

Aspetar's trainer and Watson's boss Roger Chalrton said: "The surroundings are completely different to the tranquility of my training base at Beckhampton so it took him a few days to get used to the noise.

"I used to think he was a soft-ground horse but he's won twice now on a fast surface so it should be okay on Sunday. He needs to find a few pounds, but we race for peanuts in the UK and we have to come to where the money is."

William Haggas is represented by Young Rascal with Frankie Dettori booked to take the ride.

"He did all of his serious work before he left, I've been very happy with him," Haggas said.

True Self is trying to supplement her recent Queen Elizabeth Stakes success at Flemington, but Willie Mullins' assistant David Casey thinks the Vase represents a sharp rise in class.

Aspetar: goes for Hong Kong Vase gloryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Casey said: "This is a real step up from Flemington. It's a very tough race. If she can nick a bit of prize-money I think everyone will be very happy."

Prince Of Arran was a head too good for True Self in the Geelong Cup during Australia's Spring Carnival before finishing runner-up in the Melbourne Cup. The ultra-consistent Charlie Fellows-trained six-year-old drops in trip as he goes in search of another big pot.

British champion jockey Oisin Murphy wants to spoil the party for the British and Irish trainers on his beloved Nassau Stakes winner Deirdre.

Murphy said: "Every Group 1 is important, but Deirdre is obviously a special horse to me. She's very talented and a mile and a half around Sha Tin should suit her perfectly."

Last year's winner, Exultant, looks sure to be sent off favourite for Tony Cruz and Zac Purton and will fly the flag for the locally-trained runners.

Cup contender hailed an 'incredible filly'

Magic Wand keeps on performing mesmerising tricks everywhere she goes, and O'Brien has hailed her as an "incredible filly" ahead of her 12th appearance of the year in the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.

O'Brien said: "Magic Wand is an unbelievable filly. Yvonne [Zurcher] has been looking after her and she is very happy with her. Wayne [Lordan] sat on her on Thursday morning and was very happy too. She is just an incredible filly really and we are very lucky to have her."

The Ryan Moore-ridden filly has the advantage of a plum draw in stall two.

Magic Wand: a Group 1 winner at Flemington last monthCredit: Patrick McCann

Asked whether it has been a long year for the four-year-old, O’Brien replied: "She has travelled a lot this year but it has never bothered her. She takes absolutely everything in her stride and is very versatile too.

"It doesn't really matter to her whether it is a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half. She came back from Australia in great shape. Ana and Sarah [O'Brien] and the lads are very happy with her. She's an unbelievable filly."

Purton sheds the pounds for awesome Aethero

Aethero must be awesome. How else do you explain Zac Purton getting down to the lowest weight of his riding career for the three-year-old in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint?

Purton said: "I have cut out a lot of things and have basically been eating fruit and vegetables and drinking plenty of water to make sure my kidneys are nice and clean.

"I'll be dehydrating myself as much as I can towards the weekend but I feel good and I have trained very hard for it. I have doubled or tripled my training. Funnily enough I don't feel hungry any more. I have gone past that stage."

Aethero: could be a superstar for John Moore and Zac PurtonCredit: Hong Kong Jockey Club

Purton must do 8st 5lb on the star sprinter who has won five of his six starts including a Group 2 over course and distance last month.

The jockey added: "It's the first time in my 12 and a half years in Hong Kong that I can remember riding at this weight, but I think he could be a special horse and could be worth it.

"I haven’t seen a horse in my time in Hong Kong do what he has done in the time he has done it. We don't know how good he could be."

Beauty on the cusp of greatness

Beauty Generation has suffered shock defeats in his last two starts but could enter the Hong Kong history books if he emulates Good Ba Ba by claiming a hat-trick in the Hong Kong Mile.

"We've tweaked some things, he's fit and a very sound horse. No excuses now as he's not giving away lots of weight so we're looking forward to a big run," said trainer John Moore.

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