Flintshire Claims Hong Kong Vase

 Second in four of his five starts this year including the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, won for the second year by Treve, and to Main Sequence in the Group 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at his most recent starts, Flintshire travelled smoothly midfield for regular rider Maxime Guyon.

The 4yo entire came with a well-timed run down the centre of the track to safely hold the challenge of local hope Willie Cazzals (Aussie Rules) by a half-length with Khaya (Librettist) holding on for third a further one and a quarter lengths back (photo HKJC).

It takes the overall record of Flintshire to 4 wins and 5 seconds from 12 starts.

"It's really important to get a win on the board and it's thrilling," said the Prince's racing manager, Lord Grimthorpe. "We've had some near misses with the likes of Polish Summer and Cityscape, and to nail it today with Flintshire is just fantastic.

"I was yelling from the stands 'would you go on' but he has got a good turn of foot, this horse and he was travelling pretty smoothly," he continued. "But I think he'd have liked a faster pace. It worked out really well. Maxime gave him a super ride. There were no problems in running and he came through very nicely in the end."

"He stays in training next season and that's very exciting for us," added Lord Grimthorpe. "He'll probably have an international campaign again."

Maxime Guyon, whose previous biggest Hong Kong win came in the 2011 HKG1 Hong Kong Derby on Ambitious Dragon, was delighted with the win.

"You are always a bit under pressure when you're riding such a favourite, especially after two second places at the highest level," he said. "But you have to focus on your race and once the gates open, you try to do your job as well as you can.

"We ended up pretty far away in the backstretch but I followed Red Cadeaux, knowing that he'd need to start moving early. We eventually came about the frontline in the last turn and I was happy to let him go then. He accelerated without failing, even though he sort of idled once he hit the front.

 "It's nice to win after these second places. Flintshire had a point to make here. We knew that all he needed was the proper ground to give his best. It is a great day for me as I come back here in two weeks for a six weeks stint and that puts my name in the news at the right time," he said.

The son of Dansili was unraced at two before winning three of first four starts culminating in Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris.

The Juddmonte Farm homebred is a brother to Listed Stakes-winner Dance Moves out of the classically-bred Sadler's Wells mare Dance Routine winner of the Group II Prix De Royallieu and Group III Prix De Royaumont and was runner-up in the 2002 Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks).

Dance Routine's dam Apogee (Shirley Heights) also won the Prix De Royaumont. She proved herself a top-class broodmare leaving four stakes-winners and a stakes placegetter among her seven winners from eight foals to race.

A half-sister to Group II winner and Group 1 placed Daring Miss (Sadler's Wells), Apogee is out of Bourbon Girl, by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Ile De Bourbon, who was runner-up in the Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks.