He’s coming off the best run of his career but Ricky Yiu Poon-fai remains confident Sunlight Power has even more to give in Saturday’s Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin.

A half-length third behind Red Lion in last month’s Group One Champions Mile, with superstar Voyage Bubble splitting the pair, Sunlight Power looks as well placed as anything in this Saturday’s mile feature.

There is obviously no Voyage Bubble to contend with this weekend after he put a full stop on his season with an emphatic victory in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) last Sunday, while the return to handicap conditions suits Sunlight Power down to the ground.

He gets 11lbs from Red Lion compared to their Champions Mile meeting at level weights, while he is also better placed against the four other local gallopers he beat home in the Champions Mile and will meet again on Saturday – Happy Together, Beauty Joy, Chancheng Glory and Beauty Eternal.

“That was a storming run,” Yiu said of Sunlight Power’s third in his first Group One appearance.

“It was very encouraging last start to finish third in a Group One. He’s only lightly raced so of course he should still be improving. He’s not old but he’s getting more experienced these days.”

Five-year-old Sunlight Power has been up to Conghua since the Champions Mile, with his stay including a solid trial fourth behind Mugen over 1,200m on turf.

“This horse has done well, he loves Conghua very much and he’s had a good break in between runs. This Group Three looks ideal for him,” said Yiu of Sunlight Power, who has won six of his 24 starts.

Divano, Encountered, Johannes Brahms, Ka Ying Generation and Pray For Mir round out Sunlight Power’s opponents in a contest in which he will carry 124lbs.

While it was Christophe Soumillon doing the steering in the Champions Mile and Jerry Chau Chun-lok was aboard for the Group Two lead-up race in late March, it is Harry Bentley who will reunite with Sunlight Power this weekend.

Bentley will look to improve his record of two wins and two seconds from five starts aboard Sunlight Power, with the British jockey tasked with negotiating barrier seven in the 11-horse field.

Beauty Joy and Beauty Eternal are chasing their second successes in the Lion Rock Trophy, while Lucky Sweynesse is looking to back up his 2023 triumph in the afternoon’s other feature, the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m).

Sixth in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) in his first run back from a lengthy injury-induced absence, Lucky Sweynesse must lump top weight of 135lbs and will be ridden by Derek Leung Ka-chun for the first time.

“Slowly, he has been getting better and better. He’s not young any more. After one year off, he’s had one run and after that run he’s shown improvement,” said Leung, who replaces James McDonald in the saddle.

“When I galloped him, he’s very smart – he knows what to do. After the winning post, he just switched off by himself. He’s very consistent.”