Jockey Maxime Guyon, trainer Andre Fabre and owners Wertheimer & Frere snared the Group One Longines Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) for the second time in three years when Sosie stormed to victory at Sha Tin on Sunday.

By joining stablemate Junko on the honour roll, Sosie ensured Fabre became the most successful trainer in Vase history with four victories, while Guyon won the HK$26 million contest for the third time.

“It’s good for all the team to win the Group One in Hong Kong. All the trainers and owners in the world watch this race,” said Guyon.

“We knew before the race we had the horse forward. He went really good the last time [when third] in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“He beat Giavellotto and Giavellotto won last year in the Hong Kong Vase. This is the first time for him travelling. In the mornings he was really relaxed and really good. It’s really good.

“He is very easy to ride, very quiet. He has won on soft ground and on good ground today, so he can do everything. When you ride a horse like that, it’s amazing.”

In a race devoid of early pace, well-backed $2.7 favourite Sosie sat one off the rail just forward of midfield before clicking into gear upon straightening and seeing off last year’s Vase winner, Giavellotto, by three-quarters of a length.

It was France’s 12th win in the Vase and 16th Hong Kong International Races success overall.

In the midst of a three-month Hong Kong stint, Guyon tasted his first success in the city since the 2023 Vase and he was pleased to get his stint rolling.

“I’ve been here two weeks and I hadn’t won a race yet, but now it’s OK. I hope the trainers give me the good chances to win races in the future,” he said.

“It’s a little bit, not new because I’ve come already to Hong Kong, but there are many new trainers in Hong Kong, so I’m really happy to win this race today, the big race.”

While Fabre wasn’t on track, Marco Botti was and he was happy to see Giavellotto run a nice race in defeat as the $4.2 second elect.

“Obviously we’re all here to win the race. I thought he ran a good race but the pace wasn’t very strong. It turned into a bit of a dash and Sosie just kept finding a little bit more,” said Botti.

“It was a good run. We have to be pleased with second and he showed that a year later he still wants to do it and he’s run at his best again.

“Andrea [Atzeni] said that unfortunately the pace wasn’t strong enough and he pulled him out maybe 100 yards sooner than he wanted to.

“He would have preferred to follow the winner and wanted to get him rolling, but he just took a while to get into top gear, but he fought well to the line.”

Goliath crossed the line in third at $20, while Al Riffa ran fourth.