As parochial as the Jockey Club can be, there was no mistaking the value of Rulership's QE II Cup win on Sunday for the future direction of the spring international events.
Without a win since Hat Trick in December 2001, Japanese representatives for international races in Hong Kong had been declining after being the mainstay of such events not so long ago. Their role has been usurped by the French, not surprisingly given how much success horses from that nation have had recently.
Rulership's win will put Sha Tin back on the radar for the Japanese, though, it will still be a stretch to get real attention focused in Japan on the QE II and the Champions Mile due to the time of year, which coincides with a period of major racing in Japan.
While Rulership was doling out a belting to the QE II Cup field on Sunday, for example, some of the other top Japanese staying horses which might have otherwise considered Hong Kong, were engaged in Kyoto in the Group One spring Tenno Sho, the emperor's cup over 3,200m, which falls at this time every season.
And, with the Yasuda Kinen and its lead-up events between now and June, a diversion to the Champions Mile isn't exactly on the agenda for that group of Japanese stars.
Still, we'll take what we can get - two years ago an unrated sort of stayer in Never Bouchon came from Japan to finish fourth in the QE II and now Rulership, unsuccessful in five previous attempts at Group One races, has won it doing cartwheels. If that won't attract some attention, nothing will.