HONG KONG, April 27: Favourite Eishin Preston landed the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for Japan for the second successive year on Sunday, the first race of the world series horse racing championship.

Ridden by Yuichi Fukunaga, the six-year-old produced a fast finishing kick to hold off Elegant Fashion by one and three-quarter lengths, with Paolini two lengths further back in third.

The race at Sha Tin went ahead despite the outbreak of the SARS virus, which has killed hundreds and infected thousands, mostly in China and Hong Kong.

The second leg of the world series, next month’s Singapore Airlines International Cup, has already been cancelled because of SARS.

Eishin Preston’s victory for trainer Shuji Kitahashi was his third Group One success from four starts in Hong Kong.—Reuters