Tobougg edged out

Agnes Digital beats Tobougg in the Hong Kong Cup

Agnes Digital beat Godolphin challenger Tobougg by a head to land the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Frankie Dettori made all the running in a bold bid to snatch the race on the runner-up only to be picked off in the final furlong.

Even then Tobougg almost stole victory with a late surge but Agnes Digital, ridden by Hirosumi Shii, held on to give Japan a third Group One success of the day.

He will be a big runner for Godolphin next season and a great name for the future

Godolphin's Simon Crisford on Tobougg

Terre a Terre, under Christophe Soumillon, was third, a neck behind Tobougg in what was the final leg of the Emirates World Series.

It proved to be a frustrating day for Dettori who also suffered a narrow miss in the Hong Kong Vase on Ekraar.

But Godolphin are already looking ahead to next year and expect Toubougg to challenge for further honours.

"That was a really good effort," said Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.

"He will be a big runner for Godolphin next season and a great name for the future."

Extra effort

Ekraar's defeat in the Vase was just as close, with odds-on favourite Stay Gold getting up a head.

Dettori took up the running at the half-mile mark but Yutaka Take conjured up an extra effort from Stay Gold to win the line.

Ekraar's trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: "He was really unlucky."

"He ran a big race and I am happy with that but I would have been happier if he'd won."

Ekraar is narrowly beaten by Stay Gold in the Vase

Dettori, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday, remained philosophical despite having come so close to another Group One success.

"We went slow so I nicked four lengths," he said.

"I thought he (Stay Gold) was going to have to run to get me. We gave it a shot."

The remaining British challengers finished unplaced with last year's winner Daliapour finishing sixth, while Mark Johnston's Zindabad could only manage 10th.

The Trader, trained by Michael Blanshard, and Pip Payne's Nice One Clare, finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Sprint, which was won by Australian raider Falvelon.

Japan celebrated further success when outsider Eishin Preston landed the Hong Kong Mile by three and a quarter lengths from Electronic Unicorn.

Godolphin's China Visit was a further three-quarters of a length back in third with the other British hopes, Mount Abu and Tough Speed, out of the reckoning.