Sha Tin could be next for Magical as O'Brien prepares strong International team

Magical could head a powerful five-strong raid by Aidan O'Brien on the Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin next month, with no decision finalised yet as to whether this will be the seven-time Group 1 winner's final race.

The annual end-of-year meeting features four top-level events – worth more than £9 million in prize-money – and Magical could contest the feature £2.7m Hong Kong Cup, alongside stablemate Peaceful.

"At the moment we're working towards running Magical in the Cup," O'Brien told the Racing Post on Wednesday.

"So far everything has gone well with her since the Breeders' Cup. Peaceful is also a possible. She seems to come back from America well and we're hoping she'll leave that run behind her."

Aidan O'Brien on Magical: 'At the moment we're working towards running her in the Cup'Credit: Patrick McCann

Magical, who was second to Tarnawa in the Breeders' Cup Turf last time, could line up against last year's winner Win Bright, Champion Stakes runner-up Skalleti and Hong Kong Derby winner Furore.

Beauty Generation and Golden Sixty have dominated in Hong Kong in recent seasons and they are on course for the Hong Kong Mile.

Admire Mars will return from Japan in a bid to repeat last year’s success in the £2.4m contest but O’Brien will take them all on with Order Of Australia and Lope Y Fernandez, who finished first and third as part of a Ballydoyle 1-2-3 in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last time.

O'Brien said: "Order Of Australia and Lope Y Fernandez are both possible runners in the Mile. We were very happy with both of their runs at the Breeders' Cup."

Mogul: set to be ridden by Ryan Moore in the Hong Kong VaseCredit: Quentin Bertrand/APRH

The Ken Condon-trained Romanised adds to the European challenge, while last year's runner-up Hot King Prawn could go head-to-head with Classique Legend in a competitive Hong Kong Sprint.

Impressive Grand Prix de Paris winner Mogul will take on Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year Exultant in the Hong Kong Vase.

O'Brien added: "The steadily-run race at Keeneland didn't suit him but he still ran well. We're very happy with him.

"The plan is for Ryan [Moore] to ride Magical, Mogul and Lope Y Fernandez, and then Pierre-Charles [Boudot] would probably ride Order Of Australia."

Magical is one of five horses O'Brien has sent out to win seven Group 1s, including Rock Of Gibraltar, four-time Gold Cup winner Yeats, Minding and Highland Reel, who won his second Hong Kong Vase in 2017.

Six riders, including Ryan Moore and Tom Marquand, will take on Hong Kong-based riders Zac Purton and Joao Moreira in the International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley (December 9).

Read more:

Hong Kong diary: ten in a row for Golden Sixty on thrilling Jockey Club day

Ultimate Daily - our daily newsletters from Racing Post's experts, exclusive to the inbox of Ultimate Members' Club subscribers. To receive the newsletter subscribe at racingpost.com/members-club