Watching big-name Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) runners fall away is nothing new, however the speed at which Calandagan went from in the fields to not coming was quite something.

In a turn of events that sparked memories of the time Aidan O’Brien’s Magical was in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) field for little more than 12 hours – but never actually coming to Hong Kong – Calandagan was listed in the Cup field by the Jockey Club on Wednesday afternoon before being ruled out by trainer Francis-Henri Graffard on Thursday morning.

Graffard cited the short gap between this weekend’s Group One Japan Cup (2,400m) and the Hong Kong Cup as the reason for bypassing Sha Tin, a period of time that almost certainly didn’t shorten between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

Of course, having the top-rated galloper in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings slated for a showdown with Romantic Warrior looks great while it lasts – and Graffard is absolutely entitled to keep his options open – but one does wonder if the whole thing could have been nutted out a day earlier.

Moving right along, however, and the confirmation of no Calandagan does take away the one true challenger to Romantic Warrior’s stranglehold on the Cup.

Bidding for a fourth consecutive win in Hong Kong’s richest race, Romantic Warrior will face a middling Japanese trio headed by Bellagio Opera, Calandagan’s Group One-winning stablemate Quisisana and Joseph O’Brien’s relative unknown Galen.

Romantic Warrior wont be as short as Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), but he certainly won’t be far behind in what shapes as a somewhat underwhelming Cup field.

The race now lacks a true overseas superstar, much like the HKIR fields published by the Jockey Club on Wednesday lacked the traditional country/region tag alongside each horse to tell fans who each galloper will be representing.

This is believed to be a proactive move by the Jockey Club in response to the ongoing political tensions between China and Japan.

For an event that is nothing if not international and has seen so much Japanese success, it will be interesting to see how the Jockey Club tackles this clearly delicate balancing act in the next few weeks.

One thing the HKIR fields do have is a three-year-old filly from Japan, something which would have no doubt come as a relief to officials following the fallout from the Liberty Island incident at Sha Tin earlier this year.

Questions were raised in Japan after the death of mighty mare Liberty Island in April’s Group One QE II Cup (2,000m), with Northern Farm left wondering after connections weren’t consulted before the star mare was euthanised on the Sha Tin track after suffering serious ligament damage.

There were suggestions that Japanese connections could be reluctant to send valuable colts, mares and fillies to Hong Kong, however the presence of two-time Group One winner Embroidery will go a long way to allaying any fears.

Embroidery is one of at least a couple of Japanese gallopers capable of saluting at HKIR, but it very much remains to be seen if any actually do.

Such a force at Hong Kong’s marquee meeting for so long, Japan has now gone home empty-handed in consecutive years.

It looks like the Group One Hong Kong Mile, in which Soul Rush joins Embroidery in representing the Land of the Rising Sun, is where the country’s leading hopes lie, however connections of last year’s winner, Voyage Bubble, and rising star My Wish will no doubt have something to say about that.

Japan also has Satono Reve and Win Carnelian in the Sprint and Urban Chic in what shapes as a bumper running of the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m).

Boasting reigning champ Giavellotto and a cast of raiders including Los Angeles, Al Riffa, Goliath and Sosie, the longest of the HKIR features could well be the most competitive.

While competitive might not prove the best way to describe a couple of December 14’s Group Ones, there’s enough in each race to provide plenty of cause for excitement ahead of Hong Kong’s biggest race day.