Can Hong Kong's best horse Golden Sixty make it a remarkable 12 in a row?

Hong Kong's highest-rated horse Golden Sixty bids for a remarkable 12th successive win in the first leg of the jurisdiction's Triple Crown, the Group 1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Freshened up after claiming the Hong Kong Mile over course and distance last month, Golden Sixty is chasing a 15th victory from just 16 starts and is a short price to see off his seven rivals.

His trainer Francis Lui said: "He's good, it's quite exciting to have a horse like him. It's the dream of a trainer, jockey or owner. He was a bit keen when he started back. Now he's more and more relaxed in races."

8.05am (GMT): Stewards' Cup card

Providing all goes to plan with Golden Sixty on Sunday, Lui will target the Group 1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup on February 21 at Sha Tin with the option of then having a crack at the third and final leg of Hong Kong's Triple Crown – the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup in May.

Jockey Zac Purton will be aboard Ka Ying Star, one of Golden Sixty's rivals, and will also ride Shadow Hero (Hong Kong Classic Mile) and Voyage Warrior (Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup) in the day's other features.

He said: "They can all run a nice race – they're all going to need things go their way. They're competitive rides but there's no standout."

The aforementioned Centenary Cup means Christophe Soumillon is reunited with Wishful Thinker, whom he steered into fourth in the contest a year ago.

7.00am (GMT): Centenary Sprint Cup card

France's ten-time champion jockey was diagnosed with Covid-19 only a few days before the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland in November and subsequently missed the Grade 1-winning mounts on Tarnawa and Order Of Australia.

And then, after being unable to gain clearance to leave quarantine as scheduled in Hong Kong because of health protocols, Soumillon lost out on the winning ride on Normcore in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup in December.

He said: "I've been waiting – I knew I had some good chances at the Hong Kong International Races meeting, but unfortunately I could not ride. That's life, we go through it and I'm thinking about the future."

Christophe Soumillon: top rider chasing big win on Wishful ThinkerCredit: Getty Images

Wishful Thinker will be taking on a few familiar faces he ran against when fourth to Danon Smash in the Hong Kong Sprint last month with Jolly Banner (second), Fat Turtle (fifth), Computer Patch (sixth) and Hot King Prawn (seventh) again in opposition.

Soumillon added: "I rode Wishful Thinker for luck two years ago in the Hong Kong Sprint and also in this race last year, and he came home well, but he just couldn't give the final kick over the last 200 metres. He needs a strong pace, but I do think the field is quite open this year. I think Hot King Prawn appears to be the one to beat on his best form."

8.40am (GMT): Hong Kong Classic Mile card

In the other highlight on the ten-race card, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Frankie Lor fields a couple of Australian imports, Healthy Happy and Celestial Power, against the consistent Sky Darci, who was second in a Group 3 last time.

Lor said: "Healthy Happy's form is good. I think 1600 metres is okay for him, but it depends how he runs. I think this is fine but I don't know about the Classic Cup or Hong Kong Derby – I will know more after this race. He can follow the speed, but he does look a little bit one-paced at times and I just don't want to have him held up behind horses."

More to read:

Medaglia D'Oro unlocks a new achievement with Hong Kong Derby winner

How Hong Kong puts on the world's richest races and funds fight against Covid

All systems go: Sha Tin kicks off new season on Sunday after seven-week break

Ryan Moore second again as Golden Sixty heads Lui 1-2 in Classic Mile

Hong Kong ahead of schedule as racegoers return to Sha Tin on Sunday

Download the free Racing Post app for cards, form, tips, in-app betting and to watch live races. Download for free at racingpost.com/mobile or search Racing Post app