HONG Kong stages its big end-of-year Group 1 international meeting at Sha Tin tomorrow and the vibe on the ground is that this time around the 26 local runners might have their work cut out against 29 overseas invitees.

Ireland’s invading Free Eagle, Highland Reel and Sole Power will be doing their bit to take a slice or three of the meeting’s €9.7 million in total purse money and end an 11-year blank stretching back to Alexander Goldrun’s 2004 Hong Kong Cup win.

Local horses have won three of the four races at each of the last two editions of the Hong Kong International Races, but things look a little different this year.

As well as the Irish trio, the out of town raiding party includes a 10-strong contingent from Japan, which, horse for horse, is perhaps the best ever collective from that imposing quarter.

Add to the mix a few more European’s boasting top drawer form, a trio of solid Australians and a recent Breeders’ Cup winner from the USA, and suddenly the home team doesn’t look so dominant.

That said, home advantage is exactly that and Hong Kong will look to Sha Tin’s current king, Able Friend, to keep at least one trophy in the neighbourhood.

6.00 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (Group 1) 1m 4f

European horses have farmed this race down the years, winning 18 of 21. Hong Kong’s Dominant broke an 11-year European win streak when he made the most of The Fugue’s troubled passage to collect in 2013 but last year Flintshire ensured a return to normality.

André Fabre’s five-year-old is back at Sha Tin with a second successive runner-up finish in the Arc behind him. Placing second to Treve and Golden Horn puts him ahead of his 12 rivals, and, having side-stepped the Japan Cup to run here again, the entire has looked in good order during the week.

The deluge of rain that fell all day Wednesday is not expected to be repeated before off-time, so with Sha Tin’s fast-draining turf already drying out, the Juddmonte homebred should have his conditions.

Aidan O’Brien’s record at Sha Tin reads zero from eight stretching back to 2001, the pick being Powerscourt’s fourth to Alexander Goldrun. Ballydoyle’s Secretariat Stakes winner Highland Reel has something to find with Flintshire judged on his fifth to Golden Horn in the Irish Champion Stakes but should be in the shake-up nonetheless.

Dominant’s last win was in this race two years ago under Zac Purton but he seems back to his very best and is reunited with Purton for the first time since. “He’s going better than when he won the race,” said trainer John Moore on Thursday.

SELECTION: Flintshire

Next Best: Dominant

6.40 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (GROUP 1) 6f

Gold-Fun is likely to be a warm order for what is an open contest. Richard Gibson’s Irish-bred has two wins and two seconds from four starts over six furlongs at Sha Tin since dipping down in trip to avoid Able Friend, and the quirky six-year-old proved himself the best of the Hong Kong sprinters with victory last start in a course and distance Group 2. But is the Hong Kong form better than the rest? Time will tell. Either way, Gold-Fun has the ideal draw in stall six.

Only the exceptional Lord Kanaloa has won from a draw wider than nine since the race was first staged around the bend in 2006.

Last year’s runner-up Peniaphobia will have to defy stall 14 while stall 13 inhibited Japan’s admirable mare Straight Girl when she was third last year and, unluckily for her, might do so again.

The latter’s classy compatriot Mikki Isle is drawn 12 but is no Lord Kanaloa. Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Mongolian Saturday is an interesting entity but the biggest threat could come from the emerging local talent Strathmore - badly hampered and denied clear running until late on in the Group 2 won by Gold-Fun last time.

Sole Power, second two years ago, has tried and failed four times in all. Trainer Edward Lynam said this week: “No complaints on the draw (8) but at five furlongs he’s a 117 to 120 horse and at this distance he’s probably a 112 horse, but he keeps trying.”

SELECTION: Gold-Fun

Next Best: Strathmore

7.50 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (GROUP 1) 1m

Able Friend demolished his rivals in this race last year but this field has a tougher look to it. Add to that a below-par third to Beauty Flame - formerly Roca Tumu - in his warm-up race last month and a slight question mark hangs over the champ heading into this year’s contest. The gelding has been freshened up since that reversal though and jockey Joao Moreira was pleased with his final gallop on Thursday. He defied stall 11 last year so a 10 draw should be no bar to success this time.

Esoterique was well ahead of the big Shamardal chesnut when second to Solow in the Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot but that clearly wasn’t Able Friend’s true running. The French mare is top-class nonetheless and will offer a stiff test if a long season hasn’t taken its toll. The biggest threat, however, is expected to come from the Japanese contingent.

Maurice is Japan’s star miler this season, winning the two Group 1 races that count at the distance on home turf, latterly the Mile Championship from Fiero. But the four-year-old had a tough run that day and has appeared edgy during track work this week. Another Japanese raider, the lightly-raced Danon Platina, a Group 1 mile winner as a juvenile but a general 16/1 shot for Sunday, returned from a six-month break in October to land a Group 3 at the distance and has caught the eye in his work.

SELECTION: Able Friend

Next Best: Danon Platina

8.30 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (GROUP 1) 1m 2f

Dermot Weld broke new ground back in 1991 when Additional Risk won the first running of the Hong Kong Invitation Bowl, the forerunner to today’s Hong Kong Mile. Weld has been an infrequent returnee but his Moyglare Stud colt Free Eagle has appeared relaxed at Sha Tin this week and is expected to start favourite for the Hong Kong Cup thanks to high level form that includes a battling victory in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and a controversial third in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Designs On Rome, last year’s winner, is coming in off only one start after having splints removed from both front fetlocks in May but closed off fastest of all from the back when sixth in the Group 2 Jockey Club Mile last month, in which Able Friend was third. The horse he mugged 12 months ago, Military Attack, won the main prep for this, the Group 2 Jockey Club Cup on November 21st. The veteran held Blazing Speed by a head but the latter is 5lb better off this time.

Japan’s Staphanos has been aimed at this since running second to Blazing Speed at the course and distance in April’s Group 1 QEII Cup, and his second to Lovey Day in last month’s Group 1 Tenno Sho Autumn suggests he has improved. The Deep Impact colt has impressed in his work this week and, despite drawing wide in stall 11, should be in the shake-up.

SELECTION: Free Eagle

Next Best: Staphanos