Whilst owners have every right to do as they wish with their horses it is perhaps a shame that Vengeance Of Rain's owner has opted for the stay-at-home approach rather than campaign the horse abroad in 2006.

In winning the World Racing Championship, Vengeance Of Rain didn't step out of Hong Kong on one occasion - this in complete contrast to what this Series was meant to be all about - and in an attempt to defend his title, his owner was recently quoted in The South China Morning Post as saying that he will again remain in Hong Kong. Such news is a shame for international racing and, in particular Hong Kong racing.

Home ground advantage is paramount in racing however the mark of a true champion is going beyond the boundaries and competing against the best and on their home turf. Cape Of Good Hope and Silent Witness have done it and it is a shame Vengeance Of Rain won't follow in their footsteps. While he was named World Racing Champion the crown perhaps does not sit too easily simply because he didn't campaign on the international circuit. Some will defend him, pointing out his victory in the QE II Cup in April (having Phoenix Reach, Elvstroem and Grand Armee behind him) before his recent success in the Hong Kong Cup, a race that saw the World Racing Championship title transferred from Epalo to Vengeance of Rain. However, the last two winners of the Series don't, I would humbly suggest, exactly fit into the same mould as those before them.

In the Series' inaugural year Daylami took the title. He ran in five different countries during that year and his record in races aligned with the World Racing Championship (then the Emirates World Series) was three runs in three countries for wins in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, the Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Fantastic Light took the title in 2000 and 2001, his first year saw him run in five countries running in four World Series races, finishing second in the King George, fifth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, third in the Japan Cup before his win in the Hong Kong Cup. In 2001 he ran in four countries and three World Series races finishing second in the King George before wins in the Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders Cup Turf.

In 2002 Grandera ran in six countries and five World Series races, finishing fifth in the QE II Cup, won the Singapore Airlines International Cup, fifth in the King George, won the Irish Champion Stakes, third in the W.S. Cox Plate before his seventh in the Hong Kong Cup.

High Chaparral broke the Godolphin dominance in 2003 running in three countries and three World Series races. He won the Irish Champion Stakes, finished third in the Arc before his dead-heat win in the Breeders¹ Cup Turf.

And then came Epalo and Vengeance Of Rain.

Epalo ran four times in 2004 in three countries, two of these in World Racing Championship events, winning in Singapore before his third in the Arlington Million.

The World Racing Championship was forward thinking, in theory, however the last two winners have shown there are faults and this year it proves you can have a world champion without that horse leaving his home town.

If the Series continues in 2006, it could well happen again.