Highland Reel gave the Aidan O’Brien stable its first Hong Kong win when successful in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase two years ago. The multiple G1-winning globetrotter returns after setting up an epic edition last year, in which he finished a brave second to Japan’s Satono Crown.

The top-class five-year-old faces a recent foe in Talismanic. Andre Fabre’s Godolphin charge had Highland Reel in third when successful in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar recently. Fabre is seeking a third Vase win after Borgia (1999) and Flintshire (2014).

Japanese runners have claimed the Vase with Stay Gold (2001) and Satono Crown (2016), and Kiseki is a strong candidate to enhance that record this time. The Katsuhiko Sumii-trained galloper is one of his nation’s star three-year-olds and was impressive when winning the Japanese St Leger last time.

The Willie Mullins-trained Max Dynamite is slated to take his place after making the frame in the Melbourne Cup for the second time. G1 winner Eagle Way is set to lead the Hong Kong challenge for the prestigious silverware, along with the exciting rising star Gold Mount, winner of the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot in 2016.

Mr Stunning is Hong Kong’s current standout sprinter and warmed up with an impressive win in the Jockey Club Sprint at the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint course and distance. He heads the home defence alongside last season’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize victor, Lucky Bubbles.

G1 victor Signs Of Blessing posted a big effort from a wide gate last year to finish fifth, while fellow French raider The Right Man won the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai this year; British challenger The Tin Man’s two G1 wins include this year’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes; America is set to be represented by Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal; classic winner Let’s Go Donki has placed second in Japan’s two G1 1200m sprints this campaign, while Once In A Moon was a close third in the latter of those, the Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama in October.

Pace: Once In A Moon and Peniaphobia will go forward and The Right Man will also be handy. From good gates Lucky Bubbles and Mr Stunning can settle where they like from good draws. American raider Stormy Liberal will settle near the rear. Thewizardofoz has drawn eight and could be posted wide.

I think this is a race in two – Mr Stunning and Lucky Bubbles will fight it out between them. Beyond that it’s an open affair. Let’s Go Donki comes here in good form, and has  a G1 win to her name. Thewizardofoz is enigmatic and has drawn awkwardly. Blizzard was a fast finishing 5th in the Sprinters Stakes in Japan, not far behind  Let’s Go Donki

Picks: Lucky Bubbles, Mr Stunning, Blizzard, Let’s Go Donki

Mile

The Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Only is slated to defend the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile title he snared last year.

The Ballydoyle stable’s tough and well-travelled G1-place-getter Lancaster Bomber is ready to hit the Mile alongside his triple G1-winning stablemate, the talented filly Roly Poly. Yasuda Kinen winner Satono Aladdin is on track for the race, as are the European G1 place-getters Karar and Lightning Spear.

Among the locals, last year’s arguably unlucky runner-up Helene Paragon, a two-time G1 winner since, will attempt recompense. Contentment held Beauty Only’s late charge to win the Champions Mile in May, while Seasons Bloom won the Jockey Club Mile last time out to emerge as the leading young gun on Hong Kong’s mile scene.

Pace: Beauty Generation has been leading of late and is likely to be the pace. Lancaster Bomber and Roly Poly have been forward runners generally. Contentment rolls forward and will settle where comfortable. Helene Paragon, Beauty Only and Satono Aladdin are the closers.

Helene Paragon and Beauty Only were strong in the Jockey Club Cup and will be peaking for this, although Helene Paragon has trialled poorly in between. Seasons Bloom has struggled to string good runs together. The Ballydoyle pair bring good form lines here and will make their own luck.

Picks: Helene Paragon, Lancaster Bomber, Beauty Only, Roly Poly

Cup

Werther, a three-time G1 winner, is Hong Kong’s standout 10-furlong campaigner of the past two seasons and is slated to claim the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, the only 2000m major at Sha Tin that he has not won. John Moore’s charge is set for a rematch with Neorealism, the Japanese star that took his G1 QEII Cup title last April.

Two-time HKIR winner Sir Michael Stoute will look to Poet’s Word, runner-up in the Irish Champion Stakes and Champion Stakes at Ascot at his last two starts. Also among the Cup contenders are G1 winners Blond Me and Robin Of Navan from Britain, and Ireland’s Deauville. G3 winner War Decree is also set to represent Ireland. Corine Barande-Barbe, of Cirrus Des Aigles fame, looks to return with the in-form French galloper Garlingari, while Japan also has last year’s Cup third Staphanos and LONGINES Hong Kong Vase fifth Smart Layer among the 13 selected runners.

Werther’s fellow local hopes include last year’s runner-up Secret Weapon, and the emerging talents, the previously British-trained Time Warp, and former South African-trained G1-placed Nassa.

Pace: Robin Of Navan and Time Warp will go forward. Deauville races handily as does Garlingari. Neorealism is versatile and is likely to be near the pace. Poet’s Word, Smart Layer, Staphanos and Secret Weapon are the closers.

Werther looks the obvious one, but had a tough run in the Jockey Club Cup. Deauville is well travelled. He loomed to win at Arlington, but failed to finish the race out and I find him hard to trust. Neorealism won well here in April in the QEII, but has been injured since and failed to flatter last start. Staphanos has run well here previously and looks well in the mornings. Smart Layer is another who looks well, but may prefer 2200/2400m. Poet’s Word comes here in good form and has worked well during the week, he’s full of himself and quite a lad.

Picks: Werther, Poet’s Word, Staphanos, Smart Layer