At Sha Tin in Hong Kong, former Coolmore shuttler and triple Gr1-winning champion European sire Galileo (Sadler's Wells-Urban Sea, by Miswaki) celebrated an elite race success when outstanding 5YO Irish-bred entire Highland Reel (Galileo-Hveger, by Danehill) refused to lie down when scoring a typically gutsy win in the HK$18 million Gr1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) for 3YO+, defeating Talismanic & Tiberian. In what was the swansong of his remarkable career before retiring to stud, the globe-trotting Highland Reel advanced his record to 10 wins (including the Gr1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, Gr1 Breeders' Cup Turf, Gr1 Coronation Cup, Gr1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Gr1 Hong Kong Vase, Gr1 Arlington Secretariat Stakes, Gr2 Vintage Stakes and Gr3 Gordon Stakes) & 9 placings (including the Gr1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Gr1 Juddmonte International Stakes, Gr1 Cox Plate, Gr1 Prix du Jockey Club & Gr2 Hardwick Stakes) from 27 starts for $13,951,220 in earnings. Highland Reel is out of the Gr1-placed Australian mare Hveger (Danehill), a full-sister to multiple Gr1 winner Elvstroem and a half-sister to fellow multiple Gr1 scorer Haradasun from Australian Oaks heroine Circles Of Gold. This is also the family of brilliant young sire Starspangledbanner and Golden Slipper winner Polar Success. Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "He's incredible. He's tactically very good, fast early and then quickens. What's unbelievable is that he is very brave. When you want everything he gives you everything. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride. He wasn't going to give up."