It has been almost 14 years since Francis Lui Kin-wai collected his only victory in the four-year-old series, but he looks to have another serious contender for this season’s renewal in the hugely promising More Than This (幸福笑容).

Hello Pretty won the 2006 Hong Kong Derby Trial (1,800m) for Lui – the race now known as the Classic Cup – and More Than This (幸福笑容) appears to be some genuine hope of emulating that effort after recording his third straight victory in Sunday’s Class Two Eleanor Handicap (1,600m) at Sha Tin.

The track (with the rail in the C+3 position) had been favouring horses towards the front of the field, but the British import defied both that and a tough run to storm over the top of his rivals and stamp himself as one to watch heading into the lucrative series, which begins with the Classic Mile in January.

“I think he’s a really nice horse,” Lui said afterwards. “His last run showed he is a good horse because he carried 133 pounds to win in Class Three as a three-year-old.

“Today I was still worried about the situation with the C+3 – he’d drawn 12 – and the track wasn’t playing in his favour.

“His target is the Classic Mile, Classic Cup and the Derby, we just need to work out how to get there.”

Jockey Karis Teetan admitted he was nervous early in the race when things seemed to be going against More Than This (幸福笑容).