O’Brien hails his £7.5million Highland hero

HIGHLAND REEL signed off on a lucrative international career and topped a remarkable season for his trainer Aidan O’Brien with victory in the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin yesterday. It was the second time the five-yearold son of Galileo had won the mileand-a-half race and took O’Brien to 28 Group One wins for 2017. In beating Andre Fabre’s Talismanic a length and threequarters under Ryan Moore, Highland Reel (left) also avenged his defeat in last month’s Breeders’ Cup Turf. Already the top-earning thoroughbred in Europe, Highland Reel’s 10th win added just over £1million to his career total, which now stands at £7,513,355. O’Brien said: ‘He’s a very special horse. It’s very rare that you get a horse that can travel like him. We were lucky to hold on to him as a five-year-old and get another year out of him. He is irreplaceable.’ Showing his typical resilience, Highland Reel led over two furlongs out and, having beaten his rivals, pulled away in the last 50 yards. Moore said: ‘He’s been all around the world and it’s a fitting way to finish. He’s been a brilliant racehorse.’