Zac Purton hopes Packing Power’s progressive nature can help him defy a wide barrier when the exciting youngster tackles Class Three company for the first time at Sha Tin on Tuesday.

A sensational winner of his first two starts at Happy Valley, Packing Power will have his first taste of Sha Tin when he jumps from the widest gate in the 10-runner Shanghai Handicap (1,200m).

While Packing Power recorded a commanding two-and-a-half length win first up at the city circuit on September 11, Purton says the Danny Shum Chap-shing-trained four-year-old is not the finished article.

“He doesn’t really know what he’s doing yet,” Purton said. “That’s the beauty of being on some of these young horses. They don’t know their job yet but they’re still able to show us they’ve got something there. Then it’s our job to educate them and try and take them as far as they can go.”

Purton believes the switch to Sha Tin should suit Packing Power but admits the main question that hovers around the Toronado gelding is if he can negotiate barrier 10 at start three.

“He’s still gangly in his action. The tight-turning circuit at Happy Valley and the short 1,200m distance has had him out of his rhythm,” Purton said.

“Getting him to a bigger track and hopefully stepping him up in distance in the future is really going to suit him, but he’s got a horrific barrier draw and it looks really tricky for him from there. We’ll need some luck.

“I’ll speak to Danny about it. Every single runner in the race has got speed and I’m drawn outside, so that’s never a good thing.”

The in-form Australian hopped aboard Packing Power for a recent gallop and confirmed he is in tip-top condition heading into Tuesday.

“He’s bouncing,” Purton said. “He was really fresh when I galloped him a week ago and he’s slowed down a little bit more now as he prepares for the race. He’s in good form.”

Elsewhere on the 10-race card, Purton hopes Stoltz is fighting fit as he bids to defend his Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) crown after an interrupted 2023-24 campaign.

A brilliant winner of last year’s renewal as the $1.9 favourite, Stoltz suffered a bone injury in October which sidelined him until June, where he returned with a respectable fifth in the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m).

He returns after another lengthy absence and faces the likes of Invincible Sage and exciting youngster Magic Control.

“He’s had a few issues since he won it last year, but it helps that he enjoys the track and distance and maybe coming into it fresh might be a good thing for him,” Purton said.

“He’s on a higher mark now and it’s never easy when you have time off, so it’s not going to be an easy task for him. But, if Francis [Lui Kin-wai] has got him right – and he wouldn’t be sending him back to the races unless he thought he was right – he should be able to acquit himself well.”

Purton’s full book of rides also includes Copartner Prance, who steps up to 1,400m for the first time in the Class Two Beijing Handicap after he finished third on seasonal reappearance over 1,200m.

Hunting for a seventh consecutive win, the son of Epaulette hit the line with plenty of conviction.

“He ran well,” Purton said. “He just had the weight on his back, he was first up for the season and I think after a couple of runs he starts to find his best form.

“He might have just struggled to carry the weight over the shorter distance first up, but he’s improved from that and I think 1,400m is not a problem for him.

“The last bit of the race was the best part of his race. He struggled all the way through the mid-stages and just couldn’t pick up early in the straight. With where he’s at now in his career, hopefully the extra distance is going to help him.”

Copartner Prances faces a classy field including impressive last-start winners Sunlight Power and Patch Of Theta.