Well-credentialed Japanese stayer Shahryar is out of Sunday’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Vase (2,400m).

Shahryar was a notable omission from the field for the first of Sunday’s Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) feature events when the Jockey Club published the acceptances for Sha Tin’s marquee meeting.

“The Department of Veterinary Regulation, Welfare and Biosecurity Policy have advised that Shahryar has been identified to have a potential health issue, and therefore, has been withdrawn,” Jockey Club chief stipendiary steward Marc Van Gestel said.

The first of the overseas raiders to arrive in Hong Kong ahead of HKIR, Shahryar landed in the city on November 22, less than three weeks after finishing third behind Auguste Rodin in the Group One Breeders’ Cup Turf (2,400m) at Santa Anita.

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Shahryar’s trainer, Hideaki Fujiwara, had booked Italian jockey Cristian Demuro to ride his three-time Group One-winning globetrotting galloper in this weekend’s Hong Kong Vase, the HK$24 million stamina test Glory Vase (2021) and Win Marilyn (2022) have won for Japan in the past two years.

One of nine distance stars will win the 2023 Hong Kong Vase, with Shahryar joining early withdrawals Russian Emperor and Soldier Rising on the sidelines.