Massive Sovereign “hasn’t missed a beat in his training” and David Eustace is looking forward to getting him back to competitive racing in Sunday’s Class One Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin.

Winner of the 2024 Hong Kong Derby (2,000m), the Irish import has only been seen three times since, beaten in a pair of Group Ones to end his 2023-24 campaign when trained by Dennis Yip Chor-hong.

He made his final start for the Yip stable when sixth in the Group Three Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1,800m) in November, missing his next intended target, December’s Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), due to a fetlock injury that required surgery.

Massive Sovereign was subsequently switched to the Eustace stable and will be ridden by Zac Purton from gate nine on his comeback.

Although a springboard for other targets, Eustace is looking forward to seeing what his top recruit can do on the track this weekend.

“It’s good to get him to the races. We’ve taken our time and naturally he’s going to improve for the run, but his trials have been good. He’s fit and well,” said Eustace.

“He’s obviously not 100 per cent fit but he’s fit enough to run and I think it will really benefit him having a run before the season finishes instead of having a really extended break and going back to the track.

“I’m looking forward to him getting there. He hasn’t missed a beat in his training. It’s a very tough race – it’s come up a really good race, which you’ve got to expect. I think the mile is a good kick-off point for him.”

Massive Sovereign (yellow) wins a trial in desperate conditions at Sha Tin last month.Massive Sovereign (yellow) wins a trial in desperate conditions at Sha Tin last month.

Sunday’s feature will be fiercely contested, with recent Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m) winner Beauty Joy heading the weights for trainer Tony Cruz.

The third from that race, Bundle Award, helps form a three-strong team from the John Size stable that also includes Beauty Eternal and Young Champion, while Chancheng Glory, Happy Together and Patch Of Theta also feature prominently.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Eustace has the hat-trick-seeking Mister Dapper entered in the Class Three Sight Winner Handicap (1,600m).

The Tivaci galloper streaked away with a course and distance handicap two starts ago and repeated the feat in the Class Four Topaz Handicap (1,600m) last month.

Travelling fourth into the straight, he showed a smart turn of foot to flash on past the leaders before holding off challenges from Fortune Boy and Pearl Of Pang’s in the closing stages.

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Both of those horses won their next starts, which gives the form a very positive look, but he will need to up his game as he rises in class from barrier two.

“He’s three weeks between runs and he seems to go really well fresh off four or five weeks, but this race was there and he’s going really well,” said Eustace.

“He’s in great form and he’s obviously going to drop in weight, but he’s going to need to step up.”

The chief danger in the race is the Size-trained Mickley, who ran a screamer to finish second to Eustace’s rising star Light Years Charm in the Class Two Hong Kong Reunification Cup (1,400m) this month.

Mickley drops in class despite that near miss and has drawn well in stall four as he looks for his second win since being imported from the United Kingdom.

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