Agnes Digital, ridden by Hirofumi Shii, triumphed in today's group one Hong Kong Cup, the last big race of this year's international horse racing calendar.
Second place at the Sha Tin track went to Tobougg, ridden by Frankie Dettori for Godolphin, with French challenger Terre a Terre in third. The winning margins were a head and neck.
The race, worth $1.2 million to the winner, was the final event in the 2001 Emirates World Series championship. The title had already been sealed earlier in the year by Fantastic Light, since retired to stud by owners Godolphin.
Having hit the front 300 metres from the finish, the four-year-old Agnes Digital was pressed by the French-trained Terre A Terre.
But with Terre A Terre unable to find an extra gear, it was left to Dettori to launch a last desperate attempt on Tobougg. But the post came in time for the Japanese horse.
Victory by the well-fancied Agnes Digital completed a glittering treble for Japan after the two other group one races on the card also fell to Japanese riders.
The Hong Kong Vase went to Stay Gold, ridden by Yutaka Take, who edged out Ekraar, the mount of Dettori. Just over an hour later, the four-year-old Eishin Preston sprang a 25-1 surprise in the Hong Kong Mile.