Zac Purton is confident Copartner Prance can continue his prolific winning streak when the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained speedster bids for a sixth consecutive victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Aiming to become the first horse since Lucky Sweynesse to string together six straight wins, Copartner Prance returns to the city circuit for the Class Two Tan Shan River Handicap (1,200m) on the back of a brave triumph at Sha Tin earlier this month.

The son of Epaulette has risen 36 points in the ratings for his four Happy Valley wins and sole Sha Tin victory since breaking through on March 10, and Purton is convinced there’s more to come from the lightly raced galloper.

“He’s been really good,” Purton said. “It’s not easy to win a race in Hong Kong let alone a series of races. He’s done it at both tracks now, which is even harder to do.

“The challenge gets stronger for him all the time and it’s going to be hard for him here. But he’s drawn a reasonable gate [barrier two], there’s some speed in the race, he’ll get a good run and hopefully he can get the job done again.”

After collecting four wins at the city circuit in the space of two months, Copartner Prance defied the step up to Class Two level, a wide gate and a change in venue to prevail by a head over the Sha Tin 1,200m on June 6.

“He began well and he was in the right spot, but he just didn’t corner that well,” Purton said. “He got himself onto the wrong leg before he straightened.

“Before I asked him for another effort he got a bit lost towards the line again when he wanted to duck in. He is still learning his trade a little bit but he’s a more relaxed horse than he was a couple of months ago. I’m sure that has helped him progress to where he’s got to.”

Copartner Prance faces a host of in-form rivals including the hat-trick seeking front-runner Superb Capitalist and the Mark Newnham-trained Sing Dragon, who has collected three wins from his past four outings.

“The start will be important for him,” Purton said. “If he can bounce well and get into a good spot early and into a nice rhythm that will give him some chance again.

“He hasn’t been the easiest of horses. He’s difficult to get to the gate and he’s not the easiest in the gate. He can be a little bit awkward and get his head up, but in this class of race and with the speed on you’re lucky if he can get on the bit and travel.”

Soon to be crowned champion jockey for the seventh time, Purton will look to add to his tally of 117 wins for the season from his eight-strong book at Happy Valley.

He teams up with title-chasing Lui again on the evening with an intriguing debutant, Packing Hermod, in the first section of the Class Four Ng Tung River Handicap (1,200m).

The three-year-old gave a good account of himself in his latest trial at Sha Tin to finish a short head behind the 74-rated Ka Ying Victory.

“He’s a bit tricky in the mornings and he’s a bit of lightly framed horse but he’s got some talent and his trials have been nice,” Purton said. “He’s been around the Valley, which is important, and he’s done enough now to go to the races.”