Aidan O'Brien's Highland Reel saw off defending champion Flintshire to land the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.
Winner of the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park this summer before finishing fifth in the Irish Champion Stakes, Highland Reel was last seen placing third in Australia's Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
After a smart start, the three-year-old was allowed to bowl along at the head of affairs by Ryan Moore, before being passed in the back straight by outsider Harbour Master and Corine Barande-Barbe's stable star Cirrus Des Aigles.
Andre Fabre's Flintshire quickened up well to grab the lead in the straight, but Highland Reel came back tenaciously in the final furlong and was well on top at the line.
Dariyan was third for Alain de Royer-Dupre, with another French challenger, the Mikel Delzangles-trained Ming Dynasty, fourth.
Cirrus Des Aigles weakened out of contention, while Sir Michael Stoute's Cannock Chase never threatened to land a telling blow.
