One of the highlights of this trip has been seeing Highland Reel for his final race, a horse I’ve been fortunate enough to see four times in Hong Kong and once in Australia. He hails from one of the finest families in our studbook and is by the sire sensation Galileo.

Aidan O’Brien has often said the progeny of Galileo will run through a wall for you and Highland Reel epitomises that. He’s travelled the globe over the last three years, and has never let his trainer down. He just turns up and does his best each and every time. He’s not at home on soft ground, but still gives it his best shot when those conditions present themselves.

There was no danger of soft ground at Sha Tin on Sunday, he was presented with his favoured firm going. Helene Charisma set the pace and Ryan Moore tracked him, with Breeders Cup Turf champion Talismanic in third. Upon entering the straight Moore gave his charge some reign and Helene Charisma was soon beaten. Tosen Basil and Jo Moreira issued a challenge, but the real danger was Talismanic, who had travelled sweetly throughout.

However just as Talismanic pulled up alongside Highland Reel at the 150m mark, he was able to find the extra dash that was required and he dashed away to win comfortably. “He’s the sort of horse, once he gets into a fight, if he’s there in a fight long enough he’s probably going to prevail. He just dug in the last furlong and then at the line I thought he was going away and comfortable at the finish,” Moore said.

Trainer O’Brien was effusive in his praise. “He’s a very special horse – he’s irreplaceable, really,” O’Brien said. “It’s very rare that you get a horse that can travel like him. He’s been doing it since he was a two-year-old – he won the ‘Champagne’ (Vintage Stakes) at Goodwood as a two-year-old and he’s travelled the world in the meantime, so an incredible horse, really.

“He’s irreplaceable for us at home but we were lucky to hold onto him as a five-year-old, we were lucky to get another year out of him,” O’Brien said, stressing again that, “a horse like him is irreplaceable.”

Ryan Moore added “His record shows he’s a very good horse and it’s a delight to have been a part of that”.

“He’s a high-class horse with a great attitude, very durable, he’s raced all around the world, I think the thing that marks him out is his consistency – he usually always runs his best race. He’s been a pleasure to ride and hopefully he’ll pass that on in the future.”

Maxime Guyon had no excuses for Talismanic. “He ran well,” the jockey said. “I had the perfect trip behind the winner and I tried to wait as long as possible because my horse only has a short burst of acceleration and that really worked for him in the Breeders’ Cup. But I have no excuses, he ran great.”

Highland Reel is now off to stud and his progeny will be very much looked forward too. Watch the Vase here.