RYAN Moore, William Buick and Christophe Soumillon are all riding in the prestigious Hong Kong Derby in Sha Tin on Sunday, a race in which there are three runners who were bought out of leading Irish stables.

Recent winners of the Derby include the Irish-bred superstar Romantic Warrior and the prolific Golden Sixty. The Irish-bred Designs On Rome won the race in 2014.

Last year’s renewal was won by Massive Sovereign, who raced as Broadhurst when trained by Aidan O’Brien and memorably came from last to first to win a premier handicap at Leopardstown’s 2023 Irish Champions Festival meeting.

There is another former Ballydoyle inmate in tomorrow’s field in the shape of Johannes Brahms. The son of Siyouni was placed in the Windsor Castle Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes in 2023 before being sold to race in Hong Kong and gelded.

Stunning Peach is another ex-Irish runner but he was named Islandsinthestream when trained here by Joseph O’Brien. By Wootton Bassett, he won a valuable sales race in ParisLongchamp in September 2023 before finishing a close second to Los Angeles in a Group 1 race at Saint-Cloud, after which he was sold to current connections.

Lo Rider is the third Irish export in the Derby field. By Harzand, he was named Sharinay and trained by Michael Halford and Tracey Collins when he won a nine-furlong premier handicap at the Curragh on Irish Derby day last year off a mark of 95. That was his final appearance in Ireland.

Ryan Moore is not riding any of the Irish exports but instead has been booked to ride the Irish-bred Mickley, who won the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot last June for trainer Ed Bethell.

Bred by Oghill House Stud and Partner, the son of Soldier’s Call looks to be an outsider in the Derby, judged on his most recent Sha Tin outing which saw him finish last of 14 behind likely Derby favourite Rubylot.

William Buick rides the Australian-bred Markwin and Christophe Soumillon is on board Noisy Boy, also bred in Australia, as is most of the field.

The Hong Kong Derby is due off at 8.05am GMT on Sunday and will be shown on Sky Sports Racing.