'Everything looks perfect for her' - Aidan O'Brien hopeful Warm Heart can maintain European domination of Vase

They don't come much tougher than Warm Heart, who chases a third Group 1 win on her ninth start of the year in the £2.4 million Longines Hong Kong Vase.

It took a herculean effort from multiple Group 1 winner Inspiral to deny Warm Heart in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf last month and trainer Aidan O'Brien is delighted to be stepping her back up to a mile and a half after that neck defeat over two furlongs shorter at Santa Anita.

"She has good tactical speed and travels well through her races, but we think her best form is at a mile and a half," said O'Brien.

"She's had plenty of racing but she's very well and physically she's done great. She's very fresh and we think she's well in at the weights. It's a beautiful track and everything looks perfect for her."

Warm Heart walks off the all-weather track after exercise at Sha TinCredit: Edward Whitaker

Lightly raced Lebensstil heads the market and the vibes around the Japanese contender have been strong all week, with 'Magic Man' Joao Moreira back in Hong Kong to take the ride.

Golden opportunity

Golden Sixty, the poster boy of Hong Kong racing, heads the betting for the £3.2 million Hong Kong Mile as he looks to join Good Ba Ba as a three-time winner at the international meeting.

Golden Sixty: "It's not an ideal draw and it makes things difficult"

Beaten only four times in 29 starts, Golden Sixty is among the highest earners in the sport's history but suffered a shock defeat when going down by a neck to the reopposing California Spangle 12 months ago, having won the previous two Hong Kong Miles.

Local rider Vincent Ho will have his work cut out from stall 14, while Golden Sixty has not raced since April, but expectation remains sky-high among his legion of supporters.

"It's not an ideal draw and it makes things difficult for Vincent," admitted trainer Francis Lui, who has kept Golden Sixty fresh for the race by design. "Midfield with cover would be best from there but, if you look at the field, I think California Spangle will lead and he'll slow the pace, so it's going to be difficult.

"I think I'll leave it to the jockey and it all depends on the situation. Everything is fine otherwise. I've looked after him and the horse has looked after himself."

The Andre Fabre-trained Tribalist and Ballydoyle's Cairo make up the European challenge, while five runners represent Japan and Lim's Kosciuszko goes for Singapore.

"We've always liked Cairo," said trainer Aidan O'Brien. "He was second in the Irish Guineas behind Paddington and had a break after that with the plan to race him through the winter.

"We were hoping he'd get invited here and his last run was to bring him on as much as anything. We think he's come on a good bit from that and hopefully he can run well."

Mickael Barzalona rides Tribalist and said: "He's a proper miler with speed. He had a break during the summer and is fresh and well, but it's a very competitive race."

Read more:

Can Luxembourg overcome a 92-day break or will Romantic Warrior defend his Hong Kong Cup title? 

'His gallop on Monday was incredible' - who fancies their chances in the Hong Kong Sprint? 

Ryan Moore down to lowest riding weight in last year for Warm Heart before star mare gets date with Justify 

'Have I won? I didn't know' - Vincent Ho makes history in International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley 

Sha Tin assignment a family affair for Highfield Princess camp as their hero makes her Hong Kong bow

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