The bad news is the local team will be the weakest in the history of the HK$14 million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), but the good news lies in the farewell performance of last year's heroine, Ouija Board.
The great British mare takes the same path to the Vase this year, first tackling Deep Impact in his own backyard in the Japan Cup this weekend before she is expected to bow out of racing at Sha Tin.
One of only two horses to have won two Breeders Cup races, she is also the winner of an English classic and a dual European Horse of the Year award, and owner Lord Derby has been a friend to racing in campaigning Ouija Board on at four and five despite a beckoning stud career. She is the joint highest-rated horse in the race on 121 pounds, but is clearly the highest-rated once the allowance for fillies and mares is taken into account.
French and British-based horses have made the Vase their own since its 1994 inception and that shows no real sign of abating, despite the anticipated presence of the Japanese three-year-olds, Song Of Wind and Admire Main.
Japanese three-year-old Six Sense ran a fantastic second to Ouija Board last year and Song Of Wind and Admire Main will be hoping to improve on that after they finished first and third respectively in the Japanese St Leger last month.
The Michael Stoute-trained Maraahel, third to Vengeance Of Rain and Pride in last year's Hong Kong Cup, has stretched out to 2,400m successfully since winning the Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot but is still searching for a Group One win. He is the top-rated male in the field on 121.