Super Wealthy (聚才) caught the eye with a luckless run earlier this month and trainer David Hayes is buoyant the Epaulette gelding can continue an upward trajectory in this Sunday’s (3 April) HK$4.75 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin.

Eyeing a berth in next month’s HK$20 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), Super Wealthy (聚才) stepped away fairly last time out to settle at the rear before being kept in a pocket only to take a late split and miss by a neck behind Sight Success.

“He didn’t get a lot of room, I think the ear muffs (hood) are helping him go to that upper level because he’s relaxing in the early part of his races,” Hayes said.

Rated 114 locally in Hong Kong, Super Wealthy (聚才) claimed his biggest scalp earlier this term in the G3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) – defying a gallant Sky Field (顯心星), Lucky Patch (錶之未來) and subsequent G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) winner Stronger (當家猴王).

“I think not running in the Hong Kong Sprint, he’s like the fresh sprinter on the scene, so hopefully that’ll pay dividends across the last few sprints this season,” Hayes outlined.

This weekend’s Sprint Cup is effectively next month’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize – minus Sky Field (顯心星), Lucky Patch (錶之未來) and Courier Wonder (速遞奇兵)– which will be without international presence on Sunday, 24 April, but still Hayes remains wary of the opposition that Hong Kong’s fastest will pose across the next month.

“It’s the best sprinters assembled in town, so he has to run a personal best every time to be capable of winning,” Hayes said.

Super Wealthy (聚才) (123lb) – pairing with Karis Teetan – will face Wellington (福逸) (128lb), Stronger (當家猴王) (128lb), Hot King Prawn (旺蝦王) (123lb), Computer Patch (錶之智能) (123lb), Lucky Express (幸運快車) (123lb), Sight Success (好眼光) (123lb), Master Eight (八仟師) (123lb) and Kurpany (精靈勇士)(123lb) on Sunday.

“I’d say that’s his Grand Final (Chairman’s Sprint Prize) but a race like this on Sunday, that’s pretty important to his CV,” Hayes said.

Hayes has five other entrants this weekend, while Star Contact (久久為攻) is a reserve for the Class 4 Pollock Handicap (1600m).

While he isn’t a regular on the winners list, Ka Ying Star (嘉應之星) has forged an undeniable reputation as one of Hong Kong’s most reliable performers, and this Sunday, the Cityscape gelding is out to add further lustre to his record in the HK$4.75 million G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) for trainer Tony Cruz.

“He loves the distance; he’ll be going for the 2000 metre race after this. He’s very much a one-paced type of horse and he’s in good condition and top shape,” Cruz said.

The seven-year-old has placed four times at Group 1 level, including his close-up second to Beauty Generation (美麗傳承) in the 2020 G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), while two starts ago he was runner-up in the same contest to Wellington (福逸).

“I’m very happy with the horse, he’s in good health all of the time,” the handler said.

Cruz is enjoying a fine season this year with 43 wins and HK$81.61 million banked for connections – including six wins through March.

Next month, the 65-year-old handler will set California Spangle (加州星球) for one of this season’s most anticipated clashes against Golden Sixty (金鎗六十) in the HK$20 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 24 April).