Global Weekly Review: The dream clash we have been denied

Hong Kong on Sunday was the province of one horse. A champion, who produced an outstanding performance to overcome several obstacles in his path on his way to a glorious victory in the G1 Hong Kong Cup.

This stellar day belonged to him.

Maurice, owned by Kazumi Yoshida, entered the annals of Sha Tin racing as one of the truly great winners seen in the 27-year history of the Hong Kong International Races, the grand finale to the Global Turf Flat Season.

Trainer Noriyuki Hori, who landed a double on the day (having earlier won the G1 Vase with Satono Crown), had hinted this was Maurice's last race. Confirmation has yet to follow, but it seems inevitable given his anticipated popularity with breeders in Japan.

While the commercial principles of the racing game can never be ignored, promotion of the sport should also be of relevance, particularly in an era in which racing is not faring well with the wider public. Many other sports are considered more trendy.

I was fortunate enough to be at Santa Anita to see Arrogate storm home late to beat California Chrome in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic. The race lived up to its name. It had the fans standing, jumping, roaring home the two great rivals all the way up the home stretch.

Maurice almost replicated that at Sha Tin. He was 20 lengths behind runaway trailblazer A Shin Hikari at the 800-metre mark, yet at the 200, he was flying home, so fast that Ryan Moore had to steer him carefully around the heels of the leader. Incredibly, after giving away such a big start, he won by three lengths.

My first thoughts after the race? When will we see this brilliant horse again? How would he go in a head-to-head with Winx, the Australian mare, who won her second G1 Cox Plate in October by a stunning 8 lengths? Unfortunately, no such showdown will take place.

I would love to be in the room when the international team of handicappers sit down to debate where Maurice fits into the big picture. He was rated 5lb inferior to A Shin Hikari prior to Sunday, and the evidence is there that Maurice has improved at 2,000m and is world class.

Maurice is a son of the 2008 Japan Cup winner Screen Hero, who in turn is a grandson of Silver Hawk, from the Roberto line. His dam is a daughter of Carnegie, who won the 1994 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the colours of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, and from a long-established Japanese line.

Japanese breeders have been investing worldwide for nearly five decades. They dominated the Trentham Sales at Wellington in the early 1970s. They bought the first $1m yearling sold at Keeneland in the same decade. Now, that long-term programme is paying off.