Strong European contingent unveiled for Sha Tin International races

Kew Gardens, Capri and Waldgeist feature among a strong European contingent entered for the Longines Hong Kong International Races in December.

Sixty-seven Group or Grade 1 winners feature among the 262 entries for the four Group 1s at Sha Tin on December 9, with Capri and Kew Gardens just two of the high-profile entries for the Vase.

Last year's Vase runner-up Talismanic, who landed the Breeders' Cup Turf in an excellent campaign last season, could be joined by his Andre Fabre-trained stablemate, the 2017 Arc runner-up Cloth Of Stars.

Canadian International scorer Desert Encounter and Irish Derby winner Latrobe, who is set to run in the Melbourne Cup next month, are also familiar names among the entries.

Aidan O'Brien, who won the mile-and-a-half contest with the globetrotting Highland Reel in 2015 and last year, has entered July Cup winner US Navy Flag in the Sprint, and has Mendelssohn, Rhododendron and Magic Wand among five entries for the Cup.

Beauty Generation, currently the world's joint top-rated miler on turf, is among 75 entries for the Mile. Hong Kong's Horse of the Year could face Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Polydream and William Haggas's Prix de la Foret victor One Master.

Andrew Harding, executive director at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: "It is very pleasing to see such exciting quality among the nominations for this year’s Longines Hong Kong International Races, which is long-established as one of the global sport’s truly great events.

"This year we have attracted entries from 67 individual Group 1 winners – eight more than in 2017 – and among those we have bill-topping international stars of the highest calibre."

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