It is obvious the 2024 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races is a very exciting renewal as an all-star cast from seven countries and regions lines up for four Group 1 events. The European team is arguably the strongest ever, the United States of America sends its first representative since 2017, three Australians are formidably powerful and the home team contains at least two superstars, Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising.  

While team Japan is not the biggest ever, it is the strongest ever and the flag-bearer is Tastiera, one of two Japanese representatives in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), one of four feature races at Sha Tin on Sunday, 8 December. While Tastiera, who won G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2400m) and finished second in another two legs of Japanese Triple Crown for three-year-olds last year, lost his form since last December through this summer, he has bounced back this autumn and finished second to Do Deuce in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn over 2000m at Tokyo on 27 October.

Tastiera is by Satono Crown, winner of the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) in 2016, and it is expected he has inherited suitability for racing at Sha Tin from his sire. And his trainer, Noriyuki Hori, has trained three winners in Hong Kong, namely Satono Crown, Maurice and Neorealism and I am sure Hori knows well how to train his horses for races in Hong Kong.

In my opinion, Tastiera is slightly better horse than Prognosis, who was beaten just a neck by the mighty Romantic Warrior in the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) in April. Although I respect Romantic Warrior and understand it is not easy to outstrip Romantic Warrior, I assess Tastiera has a chance to win the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.

Tastiera is joined by Liberty Island, winner of Japanese Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies and runner-up to Equinox in the G1 Japan Cup (2400m) in 2023, in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.

While Liberty Island is the Japanese Champion Three-Year-Old Filly in 2023, Jantar Mantar, one of two Japanese representatives in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), was Japanese Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in 2023. Though the colt by Palace Malice, who won G1 NHK Mile Cup (1600m) in May and is recognised as the best miler of his generation, missed a couple of training days in early October due to having high temperature, he resumed full training in early November at Tomokazu Takano’s stable in Ritto Training Center and has been trained well for the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile since then. Namur, trained by Tomokazu Takano, finished third in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile 12 months ago and the trainer has determined to get better result this time.

Soul Rush won the G1 Mile Championship (1600m) at Kyoto on 17 November and finished fourth in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile in 2023 and is another Japanese challenger in this year’s mile event.

All three Japanese representatives in G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) hold a high profile, as Lugal and Toshin Macau are first and second finishers, respectively, in the G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama on 29 September and Satono Reve, winner of two Group 3 races, was actually supported as a favourite in the Sprinters Stakes.

Stellenbosch will bid to become the third three-year-old filly to win the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase, after Vallee Enchantee in 2003 and Daryakana in 2006. She won the G1 Oka Sho (1600m), the first leg of Japanese Triple Tiara, and finished second to Cervinia, who subsequently finished fourth in the Japan Cup at Tokyo on 24 November which was a race of the highest quality. Before that in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oak, 2400m), the filly by Epiphaneia covered final three furlongs for 34.0s, which was the co-fastest in 18 runners in that race, and her sharp late kick is her strong weapon. Stellenbosch is out of mare by Rulership, winner of the QEII Cup in 2012, while Pradaria, winner of three Group 2 races, is another Japanese representative in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.