Able Friend may have recent history on his side and won like the hand brake was still applied in the local lead-up, but a wide draw and the wildcard threat of a strong Japanese army means the giant chestnut may have to produce a personal best to clinch the HK$23 million Longines Hong Kong Mile.

John Moore's 1,300-pound charge had already begun to fulfill his considerable promise during his four-year-old season, easily winning the Hong Kong Classic Mile and finishing second in a string of high rating races - firstly in two stirring clashes with stablemate Designs On Rome, and then behind dominant Champions Mile victor Variety Club.

After an early season setback, an even bigger Able Friend was found lacking fitness-wise when lumbering top weight first-up, before his imperious display in the Group Two Jockey Club Mile.

He took a position from a tricky draw and off a slack speed, kicked away to leave two standard-bearers of recent seasons - Gold-Fun and Ambitious Dragon - at a relative standstill and more than two lengths in his wake.

The placegetters each had their chance, and even if they had claims to finish closer, it appeared as though Joao Moreira could have shifted gears again, even when Able Friend was running a final 400m split of 21.41s, a full half second faster than the runner-up.

Last year's consistent runner-up Gold-Fun (Douglas Whyte) has found a plateau, albeit a high one, but Able Friend now seems to have him safely covered.

Ambitious Dragon (Ryan Moore) may have been good enough to push the favourite once, but the question is whether he can produce his best at eight-years-old and after a setback during the week.

Drawing widest in gate 11 was a spanner in the works for Able Friend, and the queue to take odds-on about the son of Shamardal may have shortened a touch. Still, the last two winners of the race have jumped from wide gates and swooped down the centre of the track - a common pattern on a well-grassed A course.

Slow pace is as much of a concern as the draw, but Able Friend's gate speed and tractability ensure Moreira doesn't have to surrender at the start and be held hostage to tempo, and can look for a closer spot, knowing too that stablemate Secret Sham will be near the front creating some pressure.

Locals have won the last eight editions of the race, and seven of them trod Able Friend's well-worn path through the prelude. The horse that didn't, Glorious Days, came in fresh and his trainer John Size will attempt to pull the same rabbit out of the hat, but now with a seven-year-old who hasn't placed since.

The last visitor to triumph in the mile was Japanese-trained colt Hat Trick, and three of the four entrants from the land of the rising sun come via the same race, the Mile Championship, with two looking like genuine knockout hopes.

While Hat Trick won his Group One lead-up, Hideaki Fujiwara's stunning five-year-old stallion Fiero (Yuichi Fukunaga) was beaten a nose, and even though he lacks a win at top level, he boasts a record of five from 12 with just two unplaced runs and drew perfectly in gate two.

World Ace (Zac Purton) spent the early part of his career clashing with talented age group rivals and future stars like Gold Ship and Just A Way - and was often favoured to beat them.

Injury stalled his progress with more than 18 months on the sidelines, but he returned second-up from that break with win over Fiero in track record time at Kyoto in April.