The HK$14-million (around US$1.8 million) Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase is the longest of all the Hong Kong International races, being run over 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Sha Tin racecourse.
It is a relatively new race, having been inaugurated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1994 to join the Hong Kong Cup and Hong Kong Mile.
The intention was to encourage Hong Kong owners to import more top-class horses suited to a longer distance. The Hong Kong Vase was accorded Group Two status in 1996 and became a Group One race in 2000.
Red Bishop, who later joined Godolphin, landed the first running in 1994 for French-based trainer John Hammond and American jockey Cash Asmussen, coming home two and three quarter lengths ahead of Urgent Request in a course record time of 2m 25.1s.
There was another French success in 1995, when Olivier Peslier partnered Partipral for trainer Elie Lellouche, who proved a neck too strong for the Clive Brittain-trained Needle Gun, ridden by Frankie Dettori.
However, Clive Brittain, who trains in Newmarket, England, and Frankie Dettori gained compensation a year later when Needle Gun’s half-brother Luso was victorious by a length and a half from the Australian performer Royal Snack.
Luso struck again in 1997, this time with Michael Kinane taking the ride, winning by a head from fellow British raider Posidonas.
The prize stayed in Hong Kong for the first time in 1998, courtesy of the Ivan Allan-trained Indigenous, who gained a neck victory over the New Zealand challenger Darazari.
Indigenous proved himself to be a really tough and consistent, winning 15 races over five seasons, with four victories coming at Group One level.
Borgia was a truly international winner in 1999, owned by the German stud Gestut Ammerland, trained in France by Andre Fabre and ridden by Olivier Peslier. The mare was having the final race of her career and defeated Bimbola by a head, with Godolphin’s Sea Wave half a length back in third.
The first Group One renewal in 2000 went to Daliapour, trained by British big-race king Sir Michael Stoute. The Sadler’s Wells colt, who finished second in the 1999 Epsom Derby, saw off another British-trained challenger in Ela Athena, with Hong Kong star Indigenous again running well to take fourth.
Godolphin came close to winning a first Hong Kong Vase in 2001 when Ekraar found the Japanese contender Stay Gold a head too powerful. Stay Gold was having the final race of his career, which also included victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic earlier in the year at Nad Al Sheba.
France’s good record in the Hong Kong Vase continued in 2002 when Ange Gabriel came home three quarters of a length ahead of fellow French raider Aquarelliste, with Ekraar again running well to finish fourth.
There was even more success for France in 2003 when the Elie Lellouche-trained filly Vallee Enchantee was three quarters of a length too strong for Polish Summer, also trained in France. Clive Brittain’s Warrsan, a half-brother to Luso, took third.
The 2004 renewal saw Vallee Enchantee line up again, although this time she could only manage third place behind British raider Phoenix Reach, trained by Andrew Balding in Britain and subsequently successful in the Dubai Sheema Classic, with Godolphin’s Sights On Gold taking second.
There was further European success in 2005, as the great mare Ouija Board, trained in Newmarket, England, by Ed Dunlop and partnered by Kieren Fallon, was the decisive two and three quarter-length winner from Six Sense, with Best Gift a short-head back in third.
In 2006 the prize went to Collier Hill, trained in England by Alan Swinbank, who gave jockey Dean McKeown the biggest win of his career. An amazingly tough performer, Collier Hill began his career in lowly handicap company but progressed to win three Group One races – the Irish St Leger, the Canadian International and the Hong Kong Vase. At Sha Tin, he held on a by a nose from the fast-finishing Irish raider Kastoria.
There was more glory for France in 2007 when Chantilly-based Englishman Richard Gibson saddled his tough globetrotter Doctor Dino for a length and a half victory over German raider Quijano.
Doctor Dino returned 12 months later and again came out on top. It was a thriller as the six-year-old finished late and fast to clinch victory in the final stride by a short-head from British-trained Melbourne Cup runner-up Purple Moon, with a head back to Japanese challenger Jaguar Mail.
Olivier Peslier was in the irons on both occasions, making him the winning-most rider, thanks to four successes in the race.
Daryakana, with Gerald Mosse in the saddle, produced a big finishing burst to win the 2009 event by a short head from Spanish Moon. The filly, owned by His Highness the Aga Khan, provided trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre with his second Hong Kong International Meeting success following his win in the 2006 Hong Kong Cup with the mare Pride.
The 2009 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase was held on Sunday, December 13.