Jamie Richards labelled Courier Aladdin “an exciting horse for the stable” as the debutant left a strong impression on Zac Purton with a barnstorming victory at Sha Tin on Saturday.

After showing flashes of ability in his trials in New Zealand for Richards’ father Paul and Hong Kong, Courier Aladdin gave Richards added hope for next season with a strong performance at his first start.

Sent out a $5.1 chance in the Class Four Arculli Trophy (1,200m), the son of Satono Aladdin sat off a hot speed and pounced in the straight to beat King Oberon by three-quarters of a length.

Fun N Fun Together fought on for third after he was involved in an early battle for the lead with Sea Sapphire.

Nearing the end of a frustrating season with 30 wins, Richards has high hopes Courier Aladdin will lead his charge back up the trainers’ championship in the 2024-25 campaign.

“He was suited by the strong pace, he was able to get a good run from the gate [four] and he’s a horse that we’ve liked,” Richards said.

“He’s always trialled well and I was expecting a nice run from him, but he’s going to be a much better horse next season as well. He’s an exciting horse for the stable and for [owner] Mr Mok and his family.

“He’s bred to get a bit further and he’s got a lovely, long action, so I think 1,400m, the mile and even further next season should be no problem.”

When asked whether Courier Aladdin could emerge as a Classic Series prospect next term, Richards said: “We won’t get too far ahead of ourselves, but he’s a nice horse”.

Purton also heaped praise on the gelding, whose sire Satono Aladdin won the Group One Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) in Japan in 2017 and ran in the Hong Kong Mile twice as well as a Hong Kong Cup (2,000m).

“He’s shown some potential at the trials but, of course, he was bred to get over more ground,” Purton said. “We were hoping he would run well, but thought 1,200m might have been short of his best. He won well – it was a good effort first time out.”

With his seventh jockeys’ premiership in the bag with only two meetings left this season, Purton also booted home Tony Cruz’s Smart Beauty in the Class Five Wong Cup (1,600m) to boost his tally to 124 victories this term.

Elsewhere at the twilight meeting, Mark Newnham continued his late-season surge with a double. Luke Ferraris guided Mission Voice to an all-the-way victory in the Class Four Chan Trophy (1,600m), before Full Credit also made all under Lyle Hewitson in the Class Three Philip Chen Trophy (1,200m).

Newnham has produced eight winners from the past seven meetings, boosting his tally to 31 in his first season in Hong Kong.

Mission Voice broke through for his first triumph when he controlled the speed and held on late to beat Chater Gold by a neck.

“We were confident today that he’d be able to dominate from the front and being able to do that gave him a good chance to win,” Newnham said.

A winner at three of six starts, Full Credit has scope for further improvement according to Newnham.

“He’s been a really nice horse since he arrived – very genuine horse, got good, natural gate speed and he’s still learning how to race,” the Australian handler said after Full Credit beat Polaris by half a length.

“He relaxed really well in front today and it gave him a good kick at the finish. He’ll keep improving and I’m sure he’ll run 1,400m.”