For sheer ruthless efficiency, the moment that fans will always remember was the second Hong Kong Sprint win by legendary Silent Witness at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races. But Fairy King Prawn, in a rare defeat, will always hold a special place.
Hong Kong's fans have savoured some precious hometown performances in two decades since Flying Dancer won the first Hong Kong Cup for trainer Brian Kan Ping-chee, though the meeting was once considered a curious benefit for superior visiting runners and drew plenty of local criticism in its early days.
Why put up huge prize money just for foreigners to come and take it away every year? It was a negative that held some weight but there were still dazzling gallopers found to repel the invaders even then - River Verdon's 1991 Cup victory, or 1993 when Winning Partners took the inaugural Bowl (later to become the Mile) and John Moore's Motivation snatched the Cup to claim both the internationals for Hong Kong.
Yet there were also significant gaps between wins for the home team, multiplied by an increasing number of events and brought into sharp relief by the quality of the visitors as awareness of Hong Kong spread.
When Ivan Allan-trained Indigenous snared the Vase for Douglas Whyte in 1998, it was five years since Motivation and Winning Partners triumphed. The day comprised three events and there had been 12 races without a home win.
Yet the event was achieving its long-term aim - to lift the standards of competition locally in order to meet the better visitors. And even when the prizes left Hong Kong, there were some fabulous performances to enjoy.
Championship performances by the 'great French red', Jim And Tonic, with storming finishes to take the Bowl in one year and the Cup the next. Fine staying victories by Clive Brittain's Luso as European domination of the Vase started. Powerful victories in the Bowl as Monopolize and Catalan Opening strung together three on end for the Aussies. The races moved from lower status to be recognised as Group Ones.
