Guyon picks up Talismanic ride in HK

French jockey Maxime Guyon has been snapped up for Godolphin contender Talismanic in Sunday's G1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.

Guyon takes over from Mickael Barzalona, who was ruled out when he received a six-day ban for not riding out to the line in a race in France.

A subsequent appeal to reduce the suspension failed, thus leaving trainer Andre Fabre searching for a substitute. Guyon, a former stable jockey, has ridden many winners for the trainer.

Reports from Hong Kong indicate Talismanic, the Breeders' Cup Turf winner at Del Mar, travelled  well -- as he had done from Paris to San Diego weeks before -- and had settled in well at the Sha Tin quarantine centre.

The G1 Vase is a race which is traditionally dominated by foreign horses. Only one Hong Kong-trained horse has been successful in the past 10 years.