THE curtain was brought down on the 2017 flat season to all intents and purposes in Hong Kong early last Sunday, as well as on the career of one of the most popular Irish flat horses of recent times.

Since his debut in June 2014, Highland Reel has turned up in France, the US, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai, as well as more regularly in Ireland and Britain, and rarely failed to give of his best. His victories have included the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2016 and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes this year. In the latter he somehow managed to outspeed the likes of Decorated Knight and Ulysses at a steadily-run 10 furlongs on a fast surface.

Highland Reel won the Hong Kong Vase in 2015 with (according to Timeform) the best performance ever by a European in that jurisdiction, and he only narrowly failed to follow up 12 months later.

REVENGE

This time, he exacted revenge on Talismanic, the horse who had beaten him in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf, showing all his legendary battling qualities when the chips were down.

This may not have been Highland Reel’s greatest performance – the likes of Tosen Basil and Chemical Charge were a bit close in third and fourth – but it was arguably his most gratifying.

I have it worth 121 on the clock (Mr Stunning 118 in the Sprint, Beauty Generation 112 in the Mile and Time Warp 107 in the Cup, the last two tactical affairs), against Highland Reel’s lifetime best of 126 when chasing home Postponed in the 2016 International Stakes at York.

His are going to be very big boots to fill. Let’s hope that the wizard that is Aidan O’Brien has something waiting in the wings to take over!