Global Weekly Preview: Fabre poised for third HK Vase win

Godolphin trainer Andre Fabre can notch his third win at the year's final big international race meeting, at Sha Tin, Hong Kong, on Sunday, with a well-travelled horse just starting to realise his great potential.

Fabre will send out in-form Talismanic, who is a key contender for the G1 Hong Kong Vase, over 2,400m (one and a half miles), a race that traditionally falls to an overseas visitor.

The 27-times French champion trainer has always thought highly of Talismanic, who enjoyed his finest hour when landing the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on November 4.

Drawn near the inside, he always travelled handy to the pace and proved too sharp and strong in the final stages for Beach Patrol and Highland Reel.

As a three-year-old, Talismanic carried Godolphin colours to a fine fourth in the G1 Prix du Jockey-Club, behind Almanzor, and he also finished 11th in Found's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, both races being run at Chantilly.

Talismanic again has an attractive inside draw, and again he must contend with Highland Reel, who this time is drawn wider than at Del Mar, in gate 8.

There is no doubting Highland Reel is a formidable rival, and already Europe's greatest prizemoney winner of all time. But he will have to work harder from his wider barrier and there is a strong chance he will lead the field to the first turn.

Both Talismanic and Highland Reel stand clear of their rivals on official ratings, but local runner Gold Mount, who has 14lb to find on the book, may be able to sneak a place.

Fabre's previous winners at the meeting both came in the Vase -- Borgia (1999) and Flintshire (2014).

The G1 Hong Kong Cup, over 2,000m, has attracted an evenly-matched field of 12 runners, but the John Moore-trained Werther looks the one they all have to beat following his solid win in the G2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin on November 19.

The G1 Hong Kong Sprint looks to be between two very smart local horses, Mr Stunning and Lucky Bubbles, while the G1 Hong Kong Mile is wide open, with French-trained Karar, who ran so well from a bad draw at Del Mar, holding a strong chance as the stablemates Roly Poly and Lancaster Bomber are both drawn wide.