Andrea Atzeni is looking forward to pairing up with a trio of smart horses for the first time at Sha Tin on Sunday, including last season’s Champion Griffin Sky Jewellery in the Class Two Members Cup (1,600m).

A three-time winner from five starts last season, John Size’s exciting galloper was unable to make the track for his intended return at the back end of last year after bleeding in a November barrier trial.

He made up for lost time in no uncertain terms when he did get back to the races, however, as he lashed home from off the pace to win in Class Three company over the 1,400m trip under Hugh Bowman.

Sky Jewellery now makes his way into Class Two company for the first time, but that is of little concern for his new rider Atzeni, especially with the extra yardage promising to suit him.

“He’s a good ride to get, obviously he was a very promising horse last season. He only ran five times, winning three of them, and he looked potentially a four-year-old series type before he had a setback,” Atzeni said.

“He came back this season and won quite impressively. It was a good training performance and he’s clearly a nice horse.

“He’s stepping up in grade and taking on better horses, but to do what he did on return, carrying top weight in a race like that, it takes a nice horse to do it.

“Stepping up to the mile will not be an issue and he’s a very good ride to get. It’s a competitive field and I’m looking forward to riding him.”

Atzeni will also get the leg up on Almighty Lightning for the first time in an ultra-competitive Class Three Beijing Clubhouse Handicap (1,200m).

A winner on debut over the 1,000m trip for trainer Manfred Man Ka-leung, he was far from disgraced when going down by just a length off top weight over the same distance last time.

Stretching out in distance is no concern in Atzeni’s eyes and despite being pitched into a very tough race, he is hoping a light weight and good draw in barrier two can get him in play.

“He’s only a three-year-old and won over 1,000m on debut and only just got beaten over 1,000m carrying topweight on his last start,” Atzeni said. “He’s stepping up in trip but I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.

“It’s a very competitive race – you’ve got the likes of the progressive Smart Golf and My Mars who won on Hong Kong debut, which is never easy to do. Crossborderpegasus has plenty of ability, but he’s quirky too.

“It’s a very competitive race, but I’m hoping with a good gate and a light weight, we can run a good race.”

Baby Sakura, a winner on debut for trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai, is another exciting ride for Atzeni to grab in the Class Three Shenzhen Centre Handicap (1,400m).

He has finished second in two subsequent starts, but he remains totally unexposed as a lightly-raced three-year-old and Atzeni thinks stepping up in grade will be a help rather than a hindrance.

“I galloped him the other morning – he’s still a little bit immature, obviously, as he’s only a three-year-old,” Atzeni said. “He won his first start and he’s stepping up in distance, which I think is going to suit him.

“He’s up in grade with a light weight, but he has got plenty of ability. It just feels like he just needs to put it all together; physically he’s sort of there, but mentally he’s still a little bit immature, but the ability is definitely there.”

Atzeni will also need to be on his A-game when he partners Enthusium in the Class Three Conghua Racecourse Handicap (2,000m).

Another for Size, he caught the attention of the stewards on his third Hong Kong start when he tried to ‘savage’ Mighty Strength in the final 200m.

A winner in England before import, there is clearly plenty of ability under the bonnet, despite his quirks, and a searching test at the trip would certainly play to his strengths.

“He’s not a bad horse, but you would have seen in his last run he tried to bite the horse next to him in the final 200m,” Atzeni said. “There’s quite a bit left in the tank – he’s a typical European type of horse.

“He seems to have taken to the Hong Kong style of racing well and he’s beautifully bred by Dubawi. I thought if he hadn’t have gone to bite that horse, he would have been a good second. The further we went, the better he was.

“We’re in with a decent weight and I like him. If he doesn’t try to bite other horses, hopefully we’ll have a good chance.”

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