Without A Fight headlines Australia’s return to the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) on Sunday, with trainer Sam Freedman confident the Group One Melbourne Cup (3,200m) hero can cap his return from injury with victory in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m).

Laws Of Indices was the last Australian-trained runner at Sha Tin’s showpiece meeting in 2022 as a quarantine stand-off, booming prize money in Australia and a long Melbourne spring carnival have led to the nation’s participation at HKIR slowing down.

Without A Fight, prominent Hong Kong Mile fancy Antino and Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) runner Recommendation will bid for a breakthrough HKIR success for Australia, with Falvelon the last victor in 2001.

No stranger to travelling horses abroad, Freedman returns to Hong Kong after a forgetful first experience when his top sprinter, Santa Ana Lane, melted in the city’s heat before running fourth as the $1.8 favourite in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) in April 2019.

The 28-year-old and his co-trainer father, Anthony, targeted the Hong Kong Vase after Without A Fight’s tendon injury from late last year left them short of time to get him ready for last month’s Melbourne Cup.

“We’re in a unique position with him with spring coming around too soon for him in Victoria, so this was the logical option,” Sam Freedman said.

“I like travelling horses, so we’ll always take them if we can. It’s a global sport and I was saying to Ciaron [Maher, Recommendation’s trainer] and Tony Gollan [Antino’s trainer], it feels like the Olympics here. You’re hoping the Aussies do well.”

Without A Fight has been a revelation since transferring to the Freedman yard in Australia elevating his European form to claim the historic double of the Group One Caulfield Cup (2,400m) and Melbourne Cup last year.

Struck down by injury, the eight-year-old returned from a lengthy rehabilitation with an impressive third to star mare Via Sistina in the Group One Champions Stakes (2,000m) at Flemington last month.

Favourite for the Vase in overseas fixed-odds markets, Without A Fight has improved significantly from his first-up run, according to Freedman.

“He’s certainly tightened up and improved for it, as you would expect,” he said. “He had a nice trial at home before he got on the flight. He’s a well-travelled horse and he’s handled the trip very well.

“Everyone [at home] is very excited and it’s important for the Melbourne Cup to showcase it on the world stage.”

Dunaden is the only Melbourne Cup winner to have also claimed the Vase when he won both features in 2011.

Red Cadeaux, winner of the Vase in 2012, was runner-up in three Melbourne Cups.

Other winners of Australia’s most famous race to tackle the Vase were Americain, who ran third in the 2010 Vase, and Rogan Josh, who was fifth in 1999 when the Vase was run at Group Two level.

Without A Fight will jump from barrier one for regular rider, Australia’s Mark Zahra.

“He is obviously world-class, I think he is one of the better stayers around and we’ll see how he measures up,” Sam Freedman said.

“He is a pretty straightforward horse and under the conditions on Sunday he hopefully should be well suited.”