Well-fancied Criterion, owned by Sir Owen Glenn, settled back and stayed there.
"It didn't help," said rider Craig Williams, "that he was slow away for a change and probably the track was a bit firm for him."
The tempo was so strong that Damien Oliver, on fifth-placed Lucia Valentino, said: "She ran enormous. I reckon she'd have won eight out of 10 group one races in Australia on that performance."
What the jockeys said ...
Hong Kong Cup
• 1st - A Shin Hikari - Yutaka Take: "The horse was in very good condition so I had much confidence going into the race. The horse sometimes has a difficult temperament, but he's in good form so I thought he had a very good chance. Travelling to Hong Kong will be very suitable for him in the future."
• 2nd - Nuovo Record - Ryan Moore: "Very pleased with her, she ran a cracker. The other one was just too good on the day. She came here with a rating of 112 and that's just wrong. She was underrated."
• 3rd - Blazing Speed - Neil Callan: "He got a nice position and I was happy where I was because if I'd had to lay up any closer I'd have been pushing him. For Blazing Speed to have to be niggled along - the pace was pretty strong. He was well-balanced, he went into a nice rhythm and when I came off the corner I thought the race was mine for the taking. I was waiting for the one to stop in front but it actually went a length again, so fair dos to the winner. But my horse has run an incredible race."
• 4th - Designs On Rome - Joao Moreira: "I was very happy with the horse's run. They went a very strong pace and he tends to get back early and was well back again but finished very strongly. I was delighted with his effort."
• 5th - Lucia Valentina - Damien Oliver: "She ran enormous. She'd have won eight out of 10 Group 1 races in Australia on that performance."
• 6th - Military Attack - Zac Purton: "No excuses. We all just got run into the ground. That was some performance from the winner."
• 7th - Dan Excel - Hugh Bowman: "I had the run of the race, just didn't have the horse. He ran to his best. He found the class a bit strong but he's a Hong Kong horse, the class is going to drop off and when it does he'll start winning."
• 8th - Beauty Only - Gerald Mosse: "I think he was too young and soft for a tough race like that. We went flat out all the way and I got a beautiful run but had no horse at the end."
• 9th - Criterion - Craig Williams: "He missed the start, never really got into it and the track might have been a bit firm for him."
• 10th - Staphanos - Keita Tosaki: "The horse was in good form but I could not get an inside position so it was a bit tough for him."
• 11th - Satono Aladdin - James McDonald: "He travelled really well but struggled to stay in touch with the leaders. The race was dominated up front. It was tough to get into it."
• 12th - Free Port Lux - Thierry Jarnet: "They went too quick for him, and the ground was maybe a bit too lively for him. I think he is better with a little more give in the ground. This was a very good race."
• 13th - Free Eagle - Pat Smullen: "I think the travel to Hong Kong must have taken a lot out of him. He had a lovely position but once we straightened up he flattened out very quickly. He did not show the turn of foot we know he has."
