TOP British trainer Richard Hannon changed his plans at the last minute to shore up the overseas challenge for the $5 million International Vase following a final American defection.
Harrassed Jockey Club officials spent hours yesterday finalising the lineup for the 2,400-metre Vase following an overnight decision not to run the American raider, Capracotta.
With telephone lines between Hong Kong and Newmarket running hot, Hannon confirmed after a consultation with connections that Commoner would run in Hong Kong on December 10 rather than tackling an American race for which he had been targeted.
Hannon's confirmation came less than a hour after another leading Newmarket trainer, David Loder, had regretfully declined the Jockey Club invitation to run Coral Eclipse contender Prince Of Andros, part-owned in Hong Kong.
Prince Of Andros was the Jockey Club's immediate choice after the defection of Capracotta, but Loder had demurred until after the early morning gallop.
Loder said: 'It's a pity because originally we were quite keen to run the horse in Hong Kong. One of his owners is from there and it is a really good race.