The son of Cambridge Stud super sire Zabeel was pushed at least five horses wide on the home turn before justifying favouritism at $14 (odds of 2-5) in the closing stages, staving off Best Gift (Michael Rodd) by a half length.

Trainer David Ferraris said winning his third Hong Kong Group One for the season with Vengeance Of Rain had become the highlight of his career.

'Back in South Africa, I once saddled six winners in a day, including five Group winners,' he began, 'but I've never had anything like this horse. He's the greatest racehorse I've ever saddled up and I don't think I'll ever find another one as good.

'I am so grateful to the late Chow Nam and his family, who are here today to enjoy this moment, for entrusting me with this great horse, and I thank them very much.' Chow died on a visit to the mainland just three days after Vengeance Of Rain won the Derby in March but now his widow and sons, Raymond and Winston, are savouring the excitement of racing this exciting and versatile middle-distance galloper.

Delpech, who later completed a double with the Ferraris-trained Hip Hip Hooray ($80), said Vengeance Of Rain was not completely comfortable in the prevailing conditions, even though the track had been upgraded to good before the first race.

'It wasn't wet, and it wasn't hard, but it was quite shifty and he wasn't all that comfortable,' Delpech said.

'He didn't travel as well as he did in the QE-II or the Derby and I was very concerned after passing the 800 metres that the leader [Saturn] had enjoyed things his own way again.

'So I thought I'd better get on my bike and, unfortunately, I was pushed quite wide on the home turn. But in the end, he was just too good for them. He wasn't quite as brilliant as he was in the Derby and the QEII, but that's to be expected. It's been a long season and he's done a superb job.' Ferraris was quick to scotch talk of Vengeance Of Rain possibly heading to Melbourne for the Cox Plate, a leg of the World Racing Championships, in October.

'I'd like to travel overseas with him at some stage next season but we won't be going for the Cox Plate,' Ferraris said. 'Our target is the Hong Kong Cup in December - that will be our major focus.'

John Moore, who won the Champions & Chater with Makarpura Star in 1995, was delighted with the performance of Best Gift, who has been one of the most improved horses in Hong Kong for the 2004-05 season.

'A really great run,' Moore said. 'I knew he had it in him to beat Saturn [third] because he had the worst of the runs last time and wasn't that far behind him. But now we're over the moon - he really made Vengeance Of Rain stretch. I've always said he was one of the top five horses in Hong Kong over longer distances and he's had that improvement there, in temperament alone. By his standards, he was a gentleman today - in the parade, behind the gates, in fact at all times. Now, we'll put him away, let him have a nice off-season break, and we'll look at the international races with him. I think he's a 2,400 metres horse so we'll be keen to target those races next season. The first one is the Hong Kong Vase on international day and later on in the season we can include another crack at the Champions & Chater.'

Caspar Fownes revealed he'd fought a battle to get Saturn to the post, due to foot problems, and was delighted with the five-year-old's placing.

'He was only a 20 per cent chance on Thursday to start in the race and he missed his most importance piece of work, his riverside gallop that day,' Fownes said.

'It's particularly important with this horse that he has that gallop because it helps to take that keenness out of him that we've seen in his races. It's very important in helping him to settle.'