Sergeant Titanium (127lb) will attempt to make experience count when he lines up in the Class 2 Snipe Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin Racecourse on Saturday (3 March), against a field packed with BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) wannabes.

John Size’s streetwise seven-year-old has been in fine form this term, returning to the consistency he showed in a peak five-month period two seasons back, during which he landed four wins from 1600m to 2000m at Sha Tin. The Rock Of Gibraltar gelding has won two from nine so far this term and was beaten only three quarters of a length when fifth to Happilababy over 10 furlongs last time.

“His last two starts, he has shown that he is back in really good form,” said jockey Joao Moreira, who is looking to notch a seventh win aboard the admirable bay. “The way he won two starts ago from the front, I was very impressed. Obviously the race suited him, they left him alone, but it was still a good effort.

“Last time, we had to get cover because the race was run at a more genuine tempo and he still fought very strongly to be beaten less than a length. It was a good run in my opinion.”

Sergeant Titanium has won nine of 44 career starts, with four victories at the course and distance. His current rating of 90 is equal to his highest winning mark, achieved in a 1600m Class 2 almost exactly two years ago.

“I just hope he can keep doing what he’s done at his last couple of runs. I think 1800m is his perfect distance so coming back to that is perfect,” Moreira added.

Seven of Sergeant Titanium’s nine rivals hold a BMW Hong Kong Derby entry. Rivet (133lb) heads that bunch, as well as the weights, after running fifth in the first two legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).

“His run in the Classic Cup behind Singapore Sling was good,” jockey Sam Clipperton said. “He jumped a lot better from the barrier, his manners were better mid-race. The bad draw meant that we were back last but he took a lot of ground off the first and second horses. It was a big improvement and hopefully he can keep on going upwards in his progression.”

The John Moore-trained colt, a G1 winner in Britain as a juvenile, is still on a learning curve as he seeks a first Hong Kong win at his seventh start.

“I just want to get him to settle,” Clipperton continued. “His grand final is the Derby so we won’t be jumping him out quickly from the barriers because that will wreck all the work we’ve done all season long – he’s very quirky, he’s got a big personality and a lot of spirit. But he’s getting better, his manners are getting better and he’s getting a lot fitter. John’s put him in this race to get more mileage in his legs. I’m expecting him to run very well.”

Zac Purton will take the ride on stablemate Ruthven (128lb). Last year’s G1 Queensland Derby winner has struggled to find his feet in four local starts and was seventh in the Classic Cup on 18 February.

Also attempting to race into Derby contention are five horses with only 10 Hong Kong starts between them: Savvy Six (124lb), Last Kingdom (121lb), Good Omen (119lb), Zilong (118lb) and the Italian import Patriot Hero (119lb), who sidestepped the Classic Cup after running eighth of 11 in the Classic Mile. The talented but enigmatic five-year-old Limitless (128lb) and the course and distance-winning six-year-old Lucky Girl (120lb) complete the line-up.

Derby for Ping Hai Star?

Moreira will continue his successful partnership with the Size-trained Ping Hai Star. The ascendant bay will take on six opponents in the Class 2 Flycatcher Handicap (1400m), with Size having left the door ever-so-slightly ajar for a Derby tilt.

“I’ll decide after the race – it’s highly unlikely but I’ll just see what happens,” the champion trainer said when asked about the likelihood of his exciting gelding making the field on 18 March. “If he wins impressively, and he’s (rated) over a hundred, well we might have to give it some thought. But that would be a bit of a stretch, so I don’t think so.”

Ping Hai Star, a son of the G1 Australian Derby (2400m) winner Nom Du Jeu, has won his last two starts at the course and distance in eye-catching style.

“He’s been held up a little bit and had to sprint quickly to win his races, but he’s done that and he’s certainly showing a good ability to do that, it’s not easy,” Size said.

“There’s more there. I have to find out what’s most suitable for him; we’re sort of feeling our way a little bit. When he goes to the races, he actually hasn’t done the same thing twice – he always mixes it up a bit. I’ve kept him to 1400 at the moment and he’s managing to win races at that so we’ll see how he goes.

“He’s not built like a stayer,” he continued. “He’s a sort of muscly horse – he doesn’t get around and do things like a staying horse, even though he’s by a mile and a half winner.”

Saturday’s card will also see Size and Moreira combine with the promising second-starter, Raging Storm, in the Class 4 Lusitano Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m). The three-year-old displayed greenness and had little go his way when a running-on fourth at odds of 1.5 on his career debut at the track and trip a couple of weeks ago.

“He seems all right, he didn’t look like he had a tough run; he came home and did well after it. Hopefully he gets away a bit better and can take part in the race. If he can take a position, well he can probably win it,” Size said.

Race eight on the 10-race card is the Class 3 Association of Hong Kong Racing Journalists Challenge Cup Handicap (1800m). The action starts at 1pm with the Class 4 Albatross Handicap (1000m).