This Sunday, December 12, the 2010 Hong Kong Mile will take place at Sha Tin Racecourse as part of the elite racing action of the Hong Kong International Race Day.

One of four Group 1 features on the card, the HK$16 million Hong Kong Mile (1600m) will be contested by 14 of the best milers, including seven international runners.

British galloper Paco Boy is the red hot favourite in the early Hong Kong Mile betting markets, punters getting right behind the Richard Hannon-trained five-year-old to break the stranglehold of the Hong Kong runners, who boast 36.8% of the total winners of the Hong Kong Mile throughout history.

Winner of this year’s G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, Paco Boy is considered as one of the premier milers in the world and is the deserved favourite.

Great Britain will also be represented by improving galloper Dream Eater coming off some promising form including third to Paco Boy in the Queen Anne Stakes.

Reining Hong Kong Champion Miler, Able One is the next shortest-priced runner in the Hong Kong Mile odds.

The John Moore-trained eight-year-old is looking to improve on their eighth place finish behind Good Ba Ba in the race last year, the veteran in career best form after winning the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin back in April and coming off a comprehensive victory in the Group 2 Jockey Club Mile late last month.

Eight-year-old Good Ba Ba is also back to defend their title after making history with their third successive Hong Kong Mile win last year.

Last year’s third placegetter Fellowship is also back on Sunday, another local eight-year-old.

The other horses making up the local contingent in the 2010 Hong Kong Mile are Hong Kong Classic mile winner Beauty Flash, Sight Winner coming off a good run in the Yasuda Kinen in Japan, Chater Way and strong finisher Thumps Up who ran second to Able One in the Jockey Club Mile last start.

Japan has one runner with in-form five-year-old A Shin Forward coming off a win in the Grade 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto, as do Ireland with Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old Beethoven.

Meanwhile France has a strong presence with three Hong Kong Mile hopefuls in three-year-old Royal Bench who won the G.2 Prix Daniel Wilderstein at Longchamp last start, roughie in the betting markets Rajsaman and dual winner of the G.1 Sun Chariot Stakes Shapresa, who is getting strong support in the Hong Kong Mile betting markets.

The 2010 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile is set to run as Race 7 at Sha Tin on Sunday, jumping at 3:50pm (local time), one event before the highly anticipated Hong Kong Cup lights up the track.

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for the barrier draws and betting previews on all the Hong Kong International Races and in the meantime open an account with the Tabcorp-owned online bookie Luxbet to get in on the Hong Kong racing action this weekend!

2010 Hong Kong Mile Field

Horse	Trainer
PACO BOY (GB)	Richard Hanson
ABLE ONE (HK)	John Moore
FELLOWSHIP (HK)	Paul O’Sullivan
BEAUTY FLASH (HK)	Tony Cruz
DREAM EATER (GB)	Andrew Balding
A SHIN FORWARD (JPN)	Masato Nishizono
GOOD BA BA (HK)	Michael Chang
SIGHT WINNER (HK)	John Size
THUMBS UP (HK)	Caspar Fownes
CHATER WAY (HK)	David Ferraris
BEETHOVEN (IRE)	Aidan O’Brien
ROYAL BENCH (FR)	Robert Collet
RAJSAMAN (FR)	Freddie Head
SAHPRESA (FR)	Rodolphe Collet
Reserve:
YOUNG ELITE (HK)	C. Frownes