Trainer Jimmy Ting believes a remedial course of barrier practice has star talent Little Paradise right on track for the HK$26 million 149th BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) – the city’s most coveted crown – at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon (22 March).

One of 14 runners seeking once-in-a-lifetime glory in the final leg of the HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series, six-time winner Little Paradise – successful in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February – could manage only eighth in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) after a slow start.

“The jockey (Vincent Ho) said he sat on the gates, and then they opened – that’s why he was a bit slow, but we’ve practised him once through the gates from the 1800 (metre) start – holding his tail, and it was much better,” Ting said. “We’ll go through the gates again on Thursday (19 March) when he does his last gallop.”

Little Paradise was a dominant victor of the Hong Kong Classic Mile by two lengths – stamping serious authority over the city’s four-year-old bracket before Stormy Grove soared from near-last to victory in the Hong Kong Classic Cup on 1 March.

Ting said: “He’s in good form; he’s improving, and he’s better than last time. I hope he can run well in the Derby. I think I would ride him quietly, but it also depends on the draw he gets – so we’ll see after it comes out (on Thursday). 

“He was a bit disappointing last start, but he missed the start, and then when he went to the inside, he got bumped a few times. After the bumping, I think the horse was upset, and that’s why he came back, but over the last 200 metres he ran home.”

Owned by Ko Kam Piu – who raced 2012 Royal Ascot Group 1 winner Little Bridge – Little Paradise tops the BMW Hong Kong Derby selected runners, rated 103, ahead of Numbers (100), Stormy Grove (98), Sagacious Life (97), Invincible Ibis (94), Patch Of Cosmo (89), Beauty Bolt (88), Emblazon (88), Top Dragon (87), Regal Gem (85), Juneau Pride (81), Dazzling Fit (80), Seraph Gabriel (79) and Pope Cody (76).

Victorious in the 2020 BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard former champion Golden Sixty, jockey Vincent Ho, who will captain The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Shergar Cup side on 8 August at Ascot, has 25 wins this season and pairs with Little Paradise on Sunday.

Brenton Avdulla – winner of the 2025 Hong Kong Classic Cup with Rubylot – links up with dual winner Beauty Bolt for trainer Tony Cruz in the BMW Hong Kong Derby.

Raced by the Kwok family, Beauty Bolt was third in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and seventh in the Hong Kong Classic Cup.

Avdulla said: “I rode him (Beauty Bolt) first time out and he was a bit raw and ran well. He’s won a couple since then, and I thought he was good in the Classic Mile. I thought he was just okay in the Hong Kong Classic Cup, because I thought James McDonald had him in the right spot and had the right set-up to run well.

“I think he’s a nice ride in the Derby. He probably needs to draw well because he’s been a bit unfortunate with a couple of the gates he’s drawn lately. I think a barrier is going to be very important for him, where if he can draw low and put himself just behind the pace to midfield and relax, then it’ll give him every opportunity to run the trip.”

Avdulla has tasted big-race success for Cruz, capturing the 2024 HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and 2024 G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) aboard three-time Group 1 winner California Spangle.

Cruz seeks a seventh BMW Hong Kong Derby after four wins as a jockey with Co-Tack (1983), Tea For Two II (1987), Clear City (1988) and Makarpura Star (1995) before prevailing twice as a trainer with Lucky Owners (2004) and Helene Mascot (2008).