Final touches to Trade Storm's Hong Kong bid

The Hong Kong Mile - worth HK$20,000,000 (just over £1,640,000) - will be the fifth time this year that Trade Storm has raced in a different country. He began the year in Dubai, ran a couple of times in Britain, won Canada's Gr.1 Woodbine Mile and then went to America for the Breeders' Cup.

Trained by David Simcock for Qatar Racing, the six-year-old flew in to Hong Kong on Saturday and has been settling in well while warming up on the track at Sha Tin under work rider Laura Pike .

Simcock's assistant, Ian Russell, said: "This is his first time here, but he's an experienced traveller, and it's nice to get him out on the track. He seems in good form, and he ran very well last time at the Breeders' Cup [third in the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Mile], and I'm hoping he can reproduce that sort of form here.

"We're just keeping him ticking over, but Laura's happy with him and says he's very well. He's done plenty of travelling this year, he's very professional, and he's tough, a seasoned campaigner now. He's a very laid back horse and touch wood we've had no problems. The horse is likely to work on the turf tomorrow and Friday. He's been a great asset to our yard and hopefully he can run well again, as he did in Canada and at the Breeders Cup."

Able Friend, who has been trained in Hong Kong this year by John Moore, and who won the Gr.2 Jockey Club Mile on his latest start, is the likely favourite for Sunday's race.