Group racing is on the quick back-up in Hong Kong, and Thursday’s (1 October) 11-race public holiday programme features a red-hot HK$4.2 million G3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m), where a collection of Sha Tin’s best sprinters will lock horns.

David Eustace is enjoying a solid start to the new season with three wins, and the third-season trainer is hopeful Colourful King (123lb) can rise to the occasion and capture a maiden Group 3 when he resumes in barrier seven under championship-leading rider Zac Purton.

Raging Blizzard (135lb), Crimson Flash (125lb), Beauty Waves (124lb), Tomodachi Kokoroe (122lb), Bottomuptogether (120lb), Magic Control (115lb) and Johannes Brahms (115lb) oppose Colourful King, who finished an unlucky second as 1.8 favourite in January’s G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin.

“We’re looking forward to racing him and we’ve had a nice smooth prep. It (1000m at Sha Tin) really does look to be where he performs at his best,” Eustace said.

“I’m very pleased with him. His trial on the grass was excellent and his gallops on the grass were very pleasing. He’s not the sort of horse who shows his best on the dirt, but he needed to have that trial; he jumped well and he’s come through it in good order.

“He probably jumps a bit better now than he used to. He was nice and clean last start; hopefully he can do that again and just get into a nice rhythm.”

Colourful King ended last season with a Class 1 victory in June and returns after two barrier trials and two turf gallops. The five-year-old by Blue Point – rated 103 – has two wins and two seconds over Sha Tin’s 1000m course from five attempts. He won twice pre-import over 1000m in Melbourne, Australia.

“The programme doesn’t lend massively to 1000 metre races down the straight, but there’s a Group 3 (Bauhinia Sprint Trophy) in January which will be a target. He’ll run on the 25th (of October) in the Group 2 (Premier Bowl, Handicap) at Sha Tin (over 1200m), which he needs to be tested at again,” Eustace said.

Crimson Flash is another aiming to break through in Group 3 level after a stellar last season which saw him accrue a trio of Class 2 victories at Sha Tin and Happy Valley. Andrea Atzeni reunites with Mark Newnham’s 105-rated speedster in barrier eight.

Atzeni said: “He’s a very consistent horse. He never really runs a bad race and he’s been a good horse for us. He won first-up over 1000 (metres) up the straight in a handicap last season and he’s won at the Valley and Sha Tin over 1200 – he’s very versatile.

“He’s a horse that usually jumps and puts himself in a position where he’s comfortable. I went to Conghua to trial him – it was a good trial. He went on the grass yesterday (Monday, 28 September) and he seems to be in good order. He’s fresh and ready to go.”

Atzeni has won six races with five-year-old Crimson Flash. The Showtime gelding clocked 57.66s in first in a 1000m turf barrier trial at Conghua on 18 September.

Thursday’s (1 October) 11-race National Day Raceday at Sha Tin begins at 1pm with the Class 5 Nanning Handicap (1200m). Entry to both Sha Tin and Happy Valley Racecourse Public Enclosures is free.

By Declan Schuster