His defeat in Japan paled into insignificance against four successive Group One wins as Good Ba Ba became the first horse to land all the Group One 1,600m events for a season - the Hong Kong Mile, Stewards' Cup, Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup and Champions Mile - securing him both the champion miler title and the top award.

"It's a dream come true in just my second year training in Hong Kong," said an exultant Schutz. "Before I received a licence to train here, I came for the international meeting the previous December to receive a trophy for my horse, Epalo, as the World Series winner, so obviously this is a lucky place for me.

"It is difficult when you arrive here, you get all kinds of horses to train, but I am so grateful to the owner, John Yuen [Se-kit], for putting a horse like Good Ba Ba into my hands. I hope I have proved I can handle a good horse if I get the chance. It has been a great team effort - from Olivier Doleuze who was on the horse in all his wins, from Fergus Gallagher, Good Ba Ba's work rider, from the horse's groom and all the stable staff. You don't have a season like this with a horse without everybody doing a great job."

Good Ba Ba's season may have ended on a down note when he was never a chance in the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo last month, but Schutz reported the gelding had returned from the trip in fine fettle.

"Forget Japan - he simply wasn't the same horse," Schutz said. "He's back, he's well and happy and I'm looking forward to another great season. I guess the Tokyo trip has put me off travelling the horse, but John loves to race him for the fans here so that's the most likely plan."

The Ricky Yiu Poon-fie-trained Sacred Kingdom, who was outgunned by Good Ba Ba for the Horse of the Year title, claimed the champion sprinter award, while the John Moore-trained Viva Pataca was voted champion stayer and also champion middle-distance horse. Moore revealed that overseas trips are on the backburner with him now, too.

"His owner [Stanley Ho Hung-sun] doesn't want him to go to the Cox Plate in Australia so we will focus on the domestic majors," Moore said. "I would like to have another crack at Dubai if his form warrants it, but that's a discussion for next year. I think he's performed brilliantly all season and is probably not fully appreciated for the horse he is. He's officially in the top 10 in the world, he's run second in Dubai in a top-grade race with the barrier against him and he paid for that a little bit when he came back for the Group Ones."

Good Ba Ba also won the most popular horse and Douglas Whyte the most popular jockey awards by public vote, while John Size picked up awards for the most improved horse (Sight Winner) and champion griffin (Ichiban). The judging panel awarded a lifetime achievement award to Vengeance Of Rain, last season's Horse of the Year.