Graham Cunningham: De Sousa to enjoy last day in Hong Kong aboard Derby aspirant

Silvestre de Sousa comes to the end of his latest winter Hong Kong stint on Sunday with eight rides and perhaps a sense of anti climax compared with this time last year.

The Brazilian was never going to find it easy to match last year's exploits when he rode 44 winners, including his first Hong Kong Group 1 success, and heads to Sha Tin on Sunday with 14 winners having had fewer than half the number of rides he secured in last year's longer stay.

That said, de Sousa will take his percentage of at least £1.7m in prize-money back to Britain and has the chance to go out with a bang as Enjoying attempts to stake a Derby claim in the Azalea Handicap (9.00).

John Moore's Aussie import took a big step forward on his third Hong kong start when third in a hot handicap over course and distance four weeks ago, but an old rival who finished just behind him that day could prove even more interesting this time.

Don't desert Oasis now Moreira climbs aboard

Super Oasis has previous with Enjoying. He finished ahead of him when the pair finished third and sixth in the Australian Derby and did so again when they played minor roles behind leading Derby hope More Than This in December.

View the full ten-race card at Sha Tin

Enjoying progressed to reverse the form on their latest encounter, staying on well despite being checked, but Super Oasis was only a whisker behind after travelling sweetly under restraint from a high draw.

Columbus County is another Derby hopeful after a highly encouraging second and this £200,000 race also features a handful of in-form older horses headed by Nicconi Express.

However, Super Oasis continues to give the impression that we haven't seen the best of him. He's likely to be ridden more prominently from a lower draw this time and the fact that Joao Moreira takes the controls for the first time is another plus.

Magic Man on Righteous path

Moreira has a full book of ten rides on Sunday and his presence on one horse and absence from another in two earlier races is notable.

The Brazilian climbs aboard Righteous Doctrine for the first time in the Lily Handicap on dirt (7.20) and Michael Chang's gelding, who has been knocking hard in similar races of late, has a lot in his favour from a good draw.

Joao Moreira: has a full book of ten rides on SundayCredit: Getty Images

It comes as a surprise to see Moreira isn't on Hong Kong Win in the Cineraria Handicap (7.50) given how impressive John Size's gelding was at Happy Valley recently.

Alexis Badel steps in for a good ride on the flashy chestnut and the Frenchman has an even brighter chance in the Daffodil Handicap (8.25) as Inner Flame tries to make it three out of three.

Douglas Whyte's gelding settled matters quickly twice in Class 4 company. He steps up a grade but looks up to the task and Badel's record of seven winners from 20 rides for the Durban Demon is impressive in Hong Kong's handicap culture.

Star continues Amazing run

Fast-improving sprinters stole the show at Happy Valley on Wednesday night when Amazing Star bolted up for the third time in a row under Zac Purton and Californiadeepshot made a striking winning Hong Kong debut for Karis Teetan.

Both horses showed brazen speed to defy stall 12 and the Hong Kong handicappers have taken evasive action, raising Californiadeepshot by 9lb to a mark of 79 and Amazing Star a further 10lb to 94.

Amazing Star has been a revelation for Jimmy Ting and Purton's contention that "he didn't have much left" hardly squares with the fact that he burned off his closest pursuers with a rapid 22.04s middle split and was never remotely threatened.

A £280,000 Class 1 handicap on February 26 looks the logical next step, while Cinquante Cinq was an equally convincing winner for Moreira earlier on and will look well treated again next time from a 7lb higher mark.

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