An exciting trio enhanced their Classic Series hopes with impressive wins at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Rubylot stole the show when he produced an electric turn of foot to win the Class Three Yan Chai Trophy (1,200m), while Pray For Mir and Prestige Always stamped themselves as progressive gallopers with their first wins in Hong Kong.

Before the Yan Chai Trophy, all the focus was on Frankie Lor Fu-chuen’s $1.5 favourite, Bottomuptogether, but it was David Hayes who was left beaming after Rubylot flew home to land the spoils.

“I thought the horse was good and it’s so nice to see it happen,” Hayes said. “He’s definitely my most improved horse.

“I was a little bit scared it could be too short and it nearly was, but he’s run down a very good horse. There’s no race for him now so we’ll have to wait, but he’s in the Classic Series. He’s my number one miler, I reckon.”

After the Rubick gelding settled towards the rear of the field under Brenton Avdulla, who replaced the indisposed Hugh Bowman, he was angled out for a run at the top of the straight and kept on well to overhaul Bottomuptogether in the final few strides.

While Lor’s unbeaten four-year-old looked the likely winner in the straight, Rubylot displayed impressive dash to cover the final 400m in 21.81 seconds, a whopping six lengths quicker than standard time.

Hayes was delighted with Rubylot’s performance and said he now has to decide which jockey will be in the saddle for his next start, with Bowman, Zac Purton and Avdulla all previously successful aboard the galloper.

“Do you do Zac, do you do Hugh or do you do Avdulla? They all win on him – maybe I’ll ride him,” Hayes said.

“He’ll only be better over 1,400m and a mile. He’s quite exciting.”

There was a moment of panic after the race as lightning struck close to the winners’ enclosure, causing Rubylot to slip and lose his footing.

“The horse slipped over when the lightning went and I just hope he didn’t hurt himself,” Hayes said. “The jockey got off and the horse ran back so fast he slipped.”

The Cody Mo Wai-kit-trained Pray For Mir also put himself in the Classic Series picture with a gutsy win in the Class Three Tsuen Lok Handicap (1,600m) under Matthew Chadwick.

A two-time winner from as many starts in his pre-import career in Australia, Pray For Mir kept on well to record his breakthrough win in the city at start five.

“Last time you can see he had no room and everything was unlucky,” Mo said of his last-start 11th. “After his final gallop I thought he was a bit too relaxed so that’s why I put the [cheek pieces] on him.

“Even overseas he had two starts and two wins with the blinkers. He’s a very honest horse and a very tough horse.

“It depends how much he can improve, but I hope he can [go for the Classic Mile].”

Elsewhere, Prestige Always took out the Class Three Yeung Uk Handicap (1,400m), sealing a double for trainer Pierre Ng Pang-chi and Purton.

Ng and Purton earlier teamed up with Fighting Machine, who took out the Class Four Tak Wah Handicap (1,400m), before securing their braces with Prestige Always.