Highland Reel bids to claim 23rd Group One win for Aidan O’Brien

Highland Reel is a general odds-on favourite to win back to back renewals of Sunday morning's Group One Longines Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.

Last year Ryan Moore’s mount overcame a high draw to land the first of four top-flight international prizes up for grabs in Hong Kong on Sunday and he will break from stall 10 of 14 this time. The Vase is due off at 6.000 Irish-time.

Victory for last month’s Breeders’ Cup hero will give Aidan O’Brien a 23rd Group One success on the flat in 2016.

Ireland’s champion trainer also runs the 33-1 outsider Cougar Mountain in the Mile event due off at 7.50.

O’Brien’s son, Donnacha, rides Cougar Mountain leaving Moore to team up with the Japanese runner, Neorealism, one of the favourites for the race along with the local star, Able Friend.

Moore is on another Japanese hope, Maurice in the mile and quarter Hong Kong Cup due off at 8.30. Richard Fahey's Growl goes in the Sprint (6.40.)

It’s noticeable that Henry De Bromhead’s sparklingly successful National Hunt season has stalled a little in recent weeks although he will hope to put that right with a vengeance when Sub Lieutenant lines up for Sunday’s Grade One John Durkan Chase at Punchestown.

Prior to that, the Co Waterford trainer could get a confidence boost from Saturday’s Grade Three Klairon Davis Novice Chase at Navan.

A penalty

De Bromhead has two of the four runners and although Three Stars is a winner at this grade already it means he has to concede a penalty to both his stable companion Attribution and the former Cheltenham bumper winner, Briar Hill.

Ground conditions are expected to be unseasonally quick for December which could work against Briar Hill and in the circumstances Attribution may be a value option considering he wasn't beaten far by another of his stable companions, Identity Thief, in a good race last time out.

Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown Stud is clear in the owners championship and can pass the €1.8 million prizemoney mark on Saturday through a nine-runner raid on Navan that also includes Ball d'Arc in the €50,000 handicap chase.

The former smart novice hurdler also ran behind Identity Thief last time and gets a lot of weight from the high-class topweight Kitten Rock.