HONG KONG, Dec 16: Agnes Digital, ridden by Hirofumi Shii, triumphed in Sunday’s group one Hong Kong Cup, the last big race of this year’s international horse racing calendar.

Second place at the Sha Tin track went to Tobougg, ridden by Frankie Dettori for Godolphin, with French challenger Terre a Terre in third. The winning margins were a head and neck.

Worth $1.2 million to the winner, the race was the final event in the 2001 Emirates World Series championship. The title had already been sealed earlier in the year by Fantastic Light, since retired to stud by owners Godolphin.

Having hit the front 300 metres from the finish, the four-year-old Agnes Digital was pressed by the French-trained Terre A Terre.

But with Terre A Terre unable to find an extra gear, it was left to Dettori to launch a last desperate attempt on Tobougg. But the post came in time for the Japanese horse.

Victory by the well-fancied Agnes Digital completed a glittering treble for Japan after the two other group one races on the card also fell to Japanese riders.

The Hong Kong Vase went to Stay Gold, ridden by Yutaka Take, who edged out Ekraar, the mount of Dettori. Just over an hour later, the four-year-old Eishin Preston sprang a 25-1 surprise in the Hong Kong Mile.

Shii said he felt he was always going to hold on after striking the front.

“There is only a short run into the first corner and so I wanted to be near the leaders,” he said.

“I had a very smooth turn and from there I was always travelling very comfortably. When the other horses came up on either side of me in the straight, I was still confident I could go faster.”

He added: “Everything was under control. This was the perfect race for me.”

Tobougg trainer Saeed bin Suroor said horse racing would not see the best of his colt until next year.

“I believe this horse will be a different horse next year. He still needs time,” he said.

Dettori added: “Another 50 yards I would probably have got back up and won the race.

“He’s only a three-year-old, he’s raced against the best today, and he’s got potential to be a world champion. The world could be his oyster next year.”

Result: a group one race for three-year-olds and upwards, run over one mile and two furlongs (2 km), the final race in the 2001 Emirates World Series racing championship:

1. Agnes Digital (ridden by Hirofumi Shii)

2. Tobougg (Frankie Dettori)

3. Terre a Terre (Christophe Soumillon) 14 ran

Distances: a head and a neck

Winner owned by Takao Watanabe and trained in Japan by Toshiaki Shirai

Value to winner: $1.2 million.—Reuters