Hong Kong's champion jockey ensured Australian influence was to the fore in the rich sprint, but sadly for Buffering's fans it was hoop rather than horse in the limelight as the bold Brisbane frontrunner yielded ground in the straight to finish sixth.

"It was a brave run ... at the end of the day that's how you best describe it," Heathcote said after Damian Browne bustled the four-time group 1 winner out of the gates to sit outside the eventual winner in the early part.

"Once he got into his rhythm and was travelling he still thought he had a horse underneath him. He threw a couple of punches, but not today. It's been a wonderful experience and one I will cherish for the rest of my life.

"That's four really tough runs – three during the spring carnival and now the trip up here – which takes a lot out of them. He'll have a couple of weeks here in quarantine and then a couple of weeks in Melbourne quarantine and then we'll see how he's done after that."

Buffering had battled a hoof abscess earlier in the week, forcing Heathcote to skip two days of work during the seven-year-old's first overseas foray. The gelding was only passed fit to start on Saturday.

There were no such concerns for Hong Kong-based New Zealand trainer Paul O'Sullivan, who called on Purton to partner Aerovelocity, which O'Sullivan struggled to sell after paying $NZ120,000 for as a yearling.

It was chicken feed compared with the $1.6 million first prize on Sunday, but the million-dollar Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap in the early part of the Melbourne autumn carnival don't look tempting enough.

"I haven't really turned the page after today," a jubilant O'Sullivan said. "I doubt him down the [Flemington] straight and his next couple of runs will certainly be in Hong Kong. With this vein of form, there's a possibility he could venture elsewhere [later on].

"It's a long time since we've walked on the [Sha Tin] grass [for the presentation ceremony]. Hopefully we don't have to wait as long [again]. Hong Kong is a funny place and when things are going bad you know how it goes, and you get one good horse and it just turns it all around.

"It's been quite a triumph for Windsor Park and Waikato Stud with the stallion and the mare. We didn't race him until he was three. I think he might have been beaten twice since [the blinkers went on]."

Meanwhile, Andre Fabre finally enjoyed success on Hong Kong's biggest day after Arc de Triomphe and Breeders' Cup runner-up Flintshire sped to victory in the $2.6 million Hong Kong Vase (2400 metres), opening up the possibility of a Melbourne Cup visit next year.

Maxime Guyon parked the French-based red-hot favourite close to a farcical speed and let down with a rush to have half-length to spare from Hong Kong-trained Willie Cazals. Three-time Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux settled midfield and struggled to make ground late to finish sixth.

The win was a welcome return to the Asian mecca for Flintshire's jockey Guyon, a former winner of the Hong Kong Derby, who ended a previous stay in Hong Kong after being found guilty of whipping a rival jockey in a race.

"Everything was good for him [today], he has a good turn of foot and I'm very happy for the team as they've done a great job," Guyon said.

"He's easy to ride and with a good turn of foot it's very easy."

Said Red Cadeaux's trainer Ed Dunlop: "The old boy was running on again as he would do. It was a bit of an odd race. It doesn't help when the jockey [Gerald Mosse] comes back and says, 'I should have gone on [early], shouldn't I?'"