SHA Tin was packed to the rafters last Sunday. A meeting record crowd of more than 85,500 turned up for the Hong Kong International Races, but the loudest cheers on a cracking afternoon came from the conspicuous contingent of Japanese fans and a small but vocal group from Ireland.

David Hannigan had ridden Highland Reel at exercise all week and the groom’s obligatory blue Longines bib, ruffled in the moment of celebration and emblazoned with the Ballydoyle colt’s race card number 11, was a fitting symbol as the three-year-old, cannily-ridden by Ryan Moore, saw off Flintshire to win the Vase and end an 11-year blank for Irish horses at the meeting. The win was a first in Hong Kong for Aidan O’Brien.

Hong Kong horses had won three of the four Group 1 races in each of the previous two years but the pre-event expectation had been that this time things would be tougher, and so it proved.

Peniaphobia’s Sprint win was the only win for the locals as Japan plundered the two biggest prizes, the HK$25 million Cup and HK$23 million Mile. Maurice made it six from six for the year in the latter as he swatted aside defending champion Able Friend to give Moore a Group 1 double.

In the Cup, Dermot Weld’s Free Eagle folded early behind Japan’s A Shin Hikari. The Japanese colt made all under Yutaka Take for a jaw-dropping win.