David Eustace plots 30th winner for the season at Sha Tin this weekend

By Leo Schlink

Aiming to close an impressive first season in Hong Kong with a flourish, David Eustace hopes Light Years Charm can handle a rise in grade when he tackles the HK$2.84 million Class 2 Lee On Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 June).

Eustace, 32, has saddled 29 winners from 297 starters in a fine Hong Kong debut season and the Englishman is optimistic Light Years Charm can maintain the stable’s momentum with a third victory at Sha Tin.

“I’ve been really happy with him. I thought his trial last week was great – it was as good as he has trialled,” Eustace said of the Rubick gelding who was formerly known as Bretsal when a runaway winner of a Lismore Maiden in Australia for Brett Dodson.

“He has trained on really well. His weight is good and I’m really happy with him.”

To start from barrier seven under Zac Purton, Light Years Charm (121lb) will face seven rivals at the first twilight meeting of the season: Healthy Happy (135lb), Young Champion (134lb), Drombeg Banner (130lb), Invincible Shield (130lb), Chiu Chow Spirit (125lb), Dancing Code (121lb) and Mickley (119lb).

Reflecting on his maiden campaign in Hong Kong, Eustace said: “It’s been pleasing, the horses have raced consistently which is probably the main thing. Just seeing them hold their form throughout the season instead of up and down has been good. We’ve had to be patient at times, but the team has done a great job.”

Francis Lui aims to claim a fourth win this season with another former Australian galloper, Invincible Shield, who starts from gate six for James Orman.

A four-time winner in Australia for Tony Gollan, Invincible Shield has been ridden to victory in Hong Kong by three different jockeys – Craig Williams, Tom Marquand and Ryan Moore – and Lui hopes Orman can become the first Hong Kong-based rider to strike on the I Am Invincible gelding.

Assessing the four-year-old’s last-start seventh behind Lady’s Choice, Lui said: “Last start was a very strong race, almost a Group race, and at the moment, he can’t reach that standard. His work seems okay.

“He is an honest horse. He is still a colt and he has done well with his three wins.”

Pierre Ng is banking on a class drop and Britney Wong’s 10lb claim to enable Drombeg Banner to return to winning form.

Triumphant over Patch Of Theta and Sunlight Power when resuming this season, the Irish-bred subsequently ran second in the HK$4.2 million G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m) behind Patch Of Theta.

He finished ninth last start in Class 1, beaten by Divano after leading and fading from contention.

Ng remains confident the six-year-old, who posted two of his three wins in Ireland on rain-affected ground before being exported to Hong Kong can reproduce his best form on Sunday.

“This time he has a 10-pound claimer, he’s trialled well last week and freshened up again, so we’re looking forward to seeing him run,” Ng said.

“I wouldn’t mind some rainy weather. He’s from a country where there’s rain. He’s fit and well and I hope he can run well. This season, he has done well. First-up, he won well and he’s been placed three times.

“I hope with the claim for Britney, he can run well.”

Massive Sovereign took an important step toward a race return for Eustace with a solid trial performance at Conghua on Thursday (5 June) when the 2024 HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner finished third of five runners.

Ridden conservatively, Massive Sovereign settled last of the five runners and was hard held in the run to the line behind Devas Twelve, who clocked 1m 10.71s.

“I think it would be unlikely that he (Massive Sovereign) would race again this season. There’s a race right at the end of the season, but everything would have to go smoothly and not rushing, either,” Eustace said.

“We’ll sort of let him tell us. He’s probably got time to have three trials.”

Massive Sovereign has not started since finishing sixth in the HK$4.2 million G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) behind Ensued on 3 November.

Sha Tin’s 10-race card this Sunday (8 June) starts with the Class 5 Chak On Handicap (1200m) at 4pm, marking the start of Hong Kong’s Summer Series.