Ricky Yiu Poon-fai is confident Watch Buddy can “go very close again” when his galloper hunts for back-to-back Happy Valley wins in the Class Three High West Handicap (1,200m) on Friday night.

Following his victory in the Class Four St Andrew’s Challenge Quaich (1,200m) on November 29, Watch Buddy will aim to reign supreme for a third time in four Happy Valley appearances when he contests the penultimate race of the calendar year under the city circuit’s bright lights.

Watch Buddy will take his first step into Class Three company on Friday night when he takes on 10 rivals in the High West Handicap, and despite facing the toughest opposition of his brief career, Yiu is positive the unexposed four-year-old can capitalise on his 120-pound impost.

“I think he’ll go very close again, even though he’s in Class Three,” Yiu said. “He’s carrying a light weight, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Winless from his first four outings at Sha Tin last season, Watch Buddy relished his change of surroundings on July 6 when he won the Class Four Victoria Park Handicap (1,200m) at Happy Valley to shed his maiden tag.

Given an enterprising ride by his regular partner-in-crime, Alexis Badel, Watch Buddy led from pillar to post to narrowly deny a host of fast-finishing speedsters.

“He’s only lightly raced, and he’s an improving young horse,” Yiu said. “Hopefully, he has more to give on Friday. He’s a lovely horse, and he tries very hard.”

After his below-par reappearance over the same course and distance on October 4, Watch Buddy returned to winning ways eight weeks later when he displayed his fighting qualities under Badel once more.

Watch Buddy faces several legitimate challengers, including last-start placegetters Viva Chaleur and A Americ Te Specso, but Badel echoes Yiu’s optimism heading into the event.

“He’s stepping up to Class Three for the first time, and it seems to be a very open race,” Badel said. “If he is to do well in Class Three, this looks like a good race to do it.”

In the last four and a bit seasons, last term’s Hong Kong Derby-winning combination of Yiu and Badel has only operated at an eight per cent strike rate, a statistic the French jockey hopes Watch Buddy can make better again.

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“He’s improved, and he’s a pretty smart horse,” Badel said. “He seems to be in good form, so I think he can run a good race. He’s very versatile. He doesn’t have to lead, and he doesn’t have to do anything special. With the maturity he has shown recently, I think he can handle any kind of tactics.”

Sitting on 14 victories this season, Badel heads to Happy Valley as the only jockey with a full book of eight rides. Arguably, the pick of the 34-year-old star’s winning chances is Hercules, who will bid to go one better than his recent runner-up result when he competes in the Class Five Nam Long Shan Handicap (1,200m).

“I’ve won on him before, and he’s been a good horse to me,” Badel said. “He’s a horse with a big heart, and he still looks classy despite his age.”