MICHAEL KINANE narrowly failed to win a third Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin yesterday. His mount Victory Star, known as Missile when trained by William Haggas at Newmarket, finished second in the £500,000 Classic.

Kinane, who has said that this will probably be his last winter riding in Hong Kong, was foiled by the late run of Oriental Express on whom South African Basil Marcus stormed to a length-and-a-quarter victory.

Philip Robinson fared best of the three British jockeys in the nine-furlong race, finishing a short-head further back in third on Indigenous.

Richard Quinn was fifth on Citiluck and Kevin Darley 12th of the 13 starters aboard We Know When.

Mary Reveley yesterday singled out Irish raider Ask The Butler as the one to beat in Friday's £20,000-added Hennessy Cognac Special Series Final at Kelso.

Ask The Butler won at Fairyhouse, and Navan and was second at Leopardstown.