The $2 million Hong Kong Mile (G1) is run immediately before the Cup, and featured a full field of fourteen going 1 mile around one turn of the Sha Tin turf course. Third in this event in 2004 and second last year, local hope and 14-1 shot The Duke pinched Hong Kong's premier mile event under an excellent tactical ride from Olivier Doleuze. Trained by Caspar Fownes, The Duke was always travelling well in the box-seat position and made a race-winning move at the head of the stretch. Tenaciously, he held onto the advantage as the Douglas Whyte-ridden 6-5 favorite Armada did his utmost to run him down in the final strides, failing by a head to get up. 16-1 Ramonti, in the hands of Endo Botti, cut out the early pace in the race, and held on gallantly for third place, with a wall of horses behind him. The running time was 1:33.40, just 1/10 of a second slower than Sha Tin's 23-year-old track record for the distance.
Results chart from HKJC
Race replay from HKJC