Kinross, Highfield Princess and Continuous among high-class contenders entered for big Hong Kong races in December

Highfield Princess, Kinross and Continuous feature among a host of European entries for the Hong Kong International raceday at Sha Tin on December 10.

Record prize-money of £12.45 million (€14.3m) is on offer for the four feature races – the Hong Kong Sprint, Hong Kong Mile, Hong Kong Vase and Hong Kong Cup – and has helped attract a host of big names from Europe and further afield.

Heading the challenge from Britain is Kinross, who will bid to give Frankie Dettori success in the Hong Kong Mile. The six-year-old has had the race as a long-term target with his owner Marc Chan living in the city.

There has been no British-trained winner of the Hong Kong Mile since 2004, when Firebreak won for Dettori and Saeed bin Suroor. Kinross will have to defeat the most recent winners of the Mile to take the prize, with local star Golden Sixty and last year’s winner California Spangles also engaged in the race.

While it has been 19 years since a British-trained horse won the Mile, there has never been a winner from Britain in the Hong Kong Sprint, the destination of Highfield Princess.

Winner of the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp last time out, Highfield Princess has been routed to the Sprint rather than taking in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. Other potential European contenders are Annaf, Art Power and Moss Tucker, while last year’s winner Wellington is also among the possible runners.

The Hong Kong Vase has proved to be a happy hunting ground for European runners, with Aidan O’Brien saddling the winner of the 1m4f contest three times, most recently with Mogul in 2020.

Luxembourg heads O’Brien’s nine entries for the race alongside the likes of Continuous, Kyprios and Warm Heart. His sons Joseph and Donnacha have entered Above The Curve and Piz Badile respectively, while Vauban and Absurde have been entered by Willie Mullins.

The biggest challenge to the Europeans could come from Japan, with Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island among the entries for the Hong Kong Vase.

Liberty Island became Japan’s seventh Triple Tiara winner this season and is also engaged in the Hong Kong Cup, alongside last year’s race winner Romantic Warrior.

Luxembourg and Continuous are among O’Brien’s entry for the contest, last won by a European-trained runner in 2010 when Snow Fairy scored for Ed Dunlop.

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