Chasing a breakthrough Group One success, trainer Pierre Ng Pang-chi believes Taj Dragon will relish a return to his optimum trip when he tackles superstar Lucky Sweynesse in Sunday’s Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin.

Ng sits 12 wins clear of Francis Lui Kin-wai at the top of the trainers’ championship and while his scintillating form has slowed a touch, his two-pronged attack on the weekend’s HK$13 million feature may be able to kick him back into top gear.

Ng is represented by recent Group Three winner Taj Dragon and up-and-coming speedster Galaxy Patch, with the trainer optimistic the former is well placed to give a bold account of himself over his ideal trip.

“Of course, Taj Dragon is the best chance of the two,” Ng said. “He’s back to his best distance with a very good jockey on him. I’m looking for a very good run against one of the best horses in Hong Kong.”

Taj Dragon, who teams up with Hugh Bowman for the first time, has become something of a course and distance specialist, notching five victories over the Sha Tin 1,400m.

A three-time winner from four starts in England, the son of Mehmas claimed two victories from eight outings in his first season in Hong Kong last term.

After beginning the 2023-24 campaign rated 75, Taj Dragon recorded another success on his second appearance of the season before triumphing in a red-hot Class Two contest in December, which featured last week’s Classic Cup (1,800m) hero Helios Express.

Thrown into deeper waters for the Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) on New Year’s Day, Taj Dragon defied Ng’s expectations by surging to a two-length success from 20 pounds out of the handicap.

While the 111-rated galloper failed to land a blow back in seventh in last month’s Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m), Ng took plenty of positives out of his first foray into elite company.

“His last run was fair,” Ng said. “The pace was slow and he finished off well and came late. It was just a little bit too short for him, to be fair.”

Taj Dragon will jump from gate one against nine rivals in the second leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series, with a trip to Dubai for the Group One Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) potentially the reward for a stellar effort.

Stablemate Galaxy Patch steps up to 1,400m for the first time in the feature after doing his best work in the closing stages down the 1,000m straight course last week.

The lightly raced four-year-old has burst onto the scene this season, triumphing in four of his first five starts in Hong Kong, which all came over 1,200m. After failing to justify favouritism on his past two outings, he faces an acid test among the city’s top sprinters.

“He’s been very busy and the owners wanted to try and have a crack at a Group One,” Ng said. “Last week he seemed more settled, which is a good thing before he runs in the 1,400m. Hopefully he has a good race at Group One level and it will help us see what he’s up to.”

The second-season handler saddles eight runners on the 10-race card and believes Aeroinvincible may be able to go one better than his debut second in the second section of the Class Four Lung Kong Handicap (1,400m).

“It was a very promising performance last time out,” Ng said. “He was checked in the middle part of the race and picked it back up. Hopefully he can do it again and with slight improvement, he should have a very good chance.”