The LONGINES Hong Kong Vase was introduced to the December programme in 1994 and it was France-trained runner Red Bishop that took the inaugural prize.

This 2400m showpiece event was upped to international Group 2 level in 1996, before being upgraded to Group 1 when Daliapour won in 2000. Among the winners of this prestigious contest are the outstanding English race mare Ouija Board, Japan’s Stay Gold and Satono Crown, the English St Leger hero Mastery, popular globetrotter Red Cadeaux, Dunaden, who in 2011 became the first Melbourne Cup winner to lift the Vase, and trainer Aidan O’Brien’s two-time race winner, Highland Reel. In 2020, O’Brien became the winningmost trainer in the race with his third win follow Mogul’s runaway triumph under Ryan Moore.

The race now carries a total purse of HK$24 million, and ranked equal 44th in the World’s Top 100 Group 1 Races last year.