Melbourne Cup favourite Deauville Legend is among a raft of star gallopers who have received invites for December’s Longines Hong Kong International Races.

In what is a first, the Jockey Club has released a list of 25 horses it is bidding to attract to its showpiece event almost one month before it confirms the fields for the four Group One contests on December 11.

The Boniface Ho Ka-kui-owned Deauville Legend is one of seven horses the Jockey Club has invited to run in the Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), with 2019 and 2021 champion Glory Vase, Mendocino, Broome, Gufo, Tuesday and Iresine rounding out the list.

Another Hong Kong-owned galloper, Marc Chan’s Kinross, is among those whom the Jockey Club is attempting to woo to take on the mighty Golden Sixty in the Hong Kong Mile.

Triumphant in the Group One Champions Sprint Stakes (1,200m) at Ascot earlier this month, it is believed Kinross is a strong chance to compete at Sha Tin in December.

Japanese trio Schnell Meister, Danon Scorpion and Salios are also among those invited for the Mile, as well as Saffron Beach and Dreamloper.

Recent Group One Sprinters Stakes (1,200m) winner Gendarme and Group One Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1,200m) victor Naran Huleg are the Japanese gallopers the Jockey Club has its eye on for the Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), along with star Australian speedsters Nature Strip, Eduardo and Giga Kick, plus American jet Golden Pal.

While Australian participation in the Sprint is considered unlikely, reports out of Japan suggest Gendarme and Naran Huleg have accepted their invitations.

The same can be said for Panthalassa and Jack d’Or, who will race in Sunday’s Group One Tenno Sho Autumn (2,000m) at Tokyo before turning their respective attentions to the Hong Kong Cup (2,000m).

Fellow Japanese gallopers Geoglyph, who runs in the Tenno Sho as well, and Danon The Kid are also among the Cup invitees, along with Britain’s Sir Busker and Ireland’s Stone Age.

Meanwhile, the Jockey Club is in the final stages of confirming the line-up for its International Jockeys’ Championship, with Jamie Kah, Mickael Barzalona, Ryan Moore, Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle among the riders high on its wish list.