Jockey Corey Brown remains baffled by Apache Cat's last-start flop but is expecting the baldy-faced star to return to his best in Perth on Saturday and book himself a trip to Hong Kong.

Apache Cat and Douro Valley have been invited to compete at the rich international meeting at Sha Tin on December 14.

The Greg Eurell-trained Apache Cat is among 14 runners invited for the Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).

But the Hong Kong assignment will depend on his performance in the Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot where he will clash with the likes of international star Takeover Target.

Apache Cat was soundly beaten in the Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington on November 8 in a performance that had jockey and trainer scratching their heads.

"I can't work out what happened and neither can Greg but he's a champion and you don't write them off, he'll bounce back and hopefully be taking his place in Hong Kong," Brown said.

Douro Valley, from the Danny O'Brien yard, is down to run in the Hong Kong Vase (2400m).

The seven-year-old claimed the weight-for-age Group One Yalumba Stakes (2000m) on October 11 then ran 13th of 17 to All The Good in the Caulfield Cup.

He missed the Melbourne Cup won by Viewed and finished a long head second to Zipping in the Sandown Classic (2400m) on November 15.

Champion jockey Darren Beadman, who is based in Hong Kong, has been booked to ride Douro Valley.