Some of Japan's best sprinters line up this weekend with a rare overseas challenger in the form of Hong Kong's Fast Network.

The Dennis Yip trained six-year-old has been highly competitive in the Hong Kong sprint scene but has run into the world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising on numerous occasions and instead seeks riches across the East China Sea.

He'd run fourth to Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman's Sprint Prize last time out but also boasts three minor placings to the untouchable champion and that form is certainly good enough to measure up anywhere in the world.

We've seen Satono Reve, widely considered the best sprinter in Japan at the moment, come to Hong Kong and run gamely behind Ka Ying Rising and indeed Fast Network wasn't far behind Satono Reve when they last clashed.

Now Fast Network has to run away from home with connections eyeing off the Centaur Stakes on Sunday before a tilt at the Group 1 Sprinter's Stakes on September 27th.

On his Hong Kong ratings behind Ka Ying Rising, as well as being a good Group 3 winner in his own right, Fast Network will line up very well against the local brigade.

Puro Magic is a speedy sprinter for the Shogo Yasuda stable who has really hit his straps over the past couple of runs, winning in very fast time by three lengths over 1000m at Niigata last time out.

Prior to that he'd won the Group 3 Hakodate Sprint over 1200m in nice style, again leading all the way. He'll prove very hard to run down.

Flicker Jab is the other horse of interest given his profile. He's a four-year-old who has been slowly making his way through the grades, winning five of his past six starts including a tough victory in the Group 3 Kitakyushu Kinen (1200m) at Kokura last time out.

While Puro Magic runs 1200m, he wouldn't want much further, as opposed to Flicker Jab who stays the strip strongly as a winner over 1300m.

Flicker Jab also has plenty of speed and looks a horse who could still be improving, having run a new peak rating at his past two starts.

Mama Cocha won the Sprinters Stakes back in 2023 but has been largely struggling for form of late, switching to dirt recently which has also failed to spark her into form. Back to turf now but she needs to improve.

This looks a shrewd big of planning by the Dennis Yip yard to tackle the Japanese sprint scene, especially with Satono Reve campaigning in Europe – if Fast Network brings his form behind Ka Ying Rising he'll take a power of beating.