The Jockey Club does not fear "Japan Cup syndrome", but plans another lift in prize money and a redoubling of efforts to attract top overseas stars to its annual showpiece after local heroes again eclipsed the foreigners on Sunday.

The club added HK$11 million to bring prize money for the Longines Hong Kong International Races this year to HK$83 million, but locals kept more than 73 per cent - almost HK$61 million - at home, in winning three events for the second successive year.

Chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges says that is a powerful reinforcement of club policies more than a decade old and designed to raise the standard of Hong Kong's racehorses, but also a double-edged sword.

"It's wonderful to celebrate success and our policy to have more world-class horses here has obviously worked," he said. "But it is a small concern how we attract overseas horses."

In the earliest days of the internationals, the club placed ceilings on the past performances of visiting horses to maintain race competitiveness, but the foreigners were still too strong on balance.

Over time, those restrictions were removed as the locals improved, then bonuses were offered to owners to further encourage the acquisition of class horses and the result now is that Hong Kong runners dominate the day.

The obvious comparison is with the Japan Cup, which underwent similar phases and the home contingent is now so strong that top quality visitors are almost impossible to attract.

"I wouldn't say we are in the same position as Japan, where they have really no chance to be successful," Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

"At our meeting, if you bring a horse like Flintshire, you can still win. And if you look at the Japanese sprinter, Straight Girl, she was unlucky from a bad draw.

"Criterion and Cirrus Des Aigles ran very well in the Cup, on ground that was perhaps firmer than Cirrus Des Aigles likes. It's not correct to say they aren't competitive, even if they did not win."

But, with a growing list of international dates around the globe, the club is aware it must compete strongly to attract depth.

"Part of that is more prize money, and we will look at that for next year, but we need to think how we make it attractive in as many ways as we can," Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

"On Sunday, I had discussions with overseas trainers and owners and asked why some people would put a horse in a stallion parade instead of running here. It comes back to the world seeing you win here and creating added value in your horse. It is not only about prize money."

The absence of the absolute best from Hong Kong has in some cases been connected to the notion that winning here did nothing for a horse's stud value, but defeat was a serious negative.

The paradox of it becoming harder to win in Hong Kong at least works to eliminate that notion, so winning becomes an enhancement to value and defeat no longer a disgrace.

"In this regard our partners Longines, with the creation of the world's best horse rankings, helps," Engelbrecht-Bresges said. "It has elevated and highlighted the quality of horses from non-traditional centres - and Hong Kong is in that category - so people take notice.

"And it combines with Dubai, where our horses do meet Europeans in a neutral territory and where I think our horses will be very competitive in 2015. This global view takes three to five years to change the mindset so people bring their very best and it can create more stud value, especially considering the dual hemisphere picture."

Racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe described this global commercial showcase effect after Flintshire scored the first Hong Kong win for one of the world's biggest owner-breeders, Juddmonte Farms' Prince Khalid bin Abdullah al-Saud.

"And he is absolutely right," Engelbrecht-Bresges said. "This is where east meets west, north meets south. Look at Criterion, his performance has absolutely increased his stud value perception in Australia.

"We have a platform where everyone can come and run and be comfortable, without the underlying issues there are, for example, with the Breeders' Cup."