Graham Cunningham with the latest on freakish champion Beauty Generation

There's nothing like winning ten big races in a row to get your rivals speaking more in hope than expectation and some of Hong Kong's leading trainers are fully aware of the enormity of the task as they prepare to take on the mighty Beauty Generation in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy.

“Enable got beat, so maybe this horse can be beat, too,” says Singapore Sling’s handler Tony Millard as he looks ahead to Sunday's Sha Tin showpiece.

Waikuku's rider Joao Moreira describes Beauty Generation as "a freak," while Hong Kong veteran Caspar Fownes is looking for “something amazing” as he readies stable stars Southern Legend and Rise High for another crack at the master miler.

Their caution is understandable. After all, Beauty Generation’s international rating of 127 leaves him rated just 1lb behind Enable, Waldgeist and Crystal Ocean atop the World’s Best Racehorse rankings and John Moore’s gelding could leapfrog that trio with another dominant performance.

Moore feels his stable star is "raring to go", and if Beauty Generation can land Sunday’s £420,000 prize for the third year running while conceding between 14lb and 20lb all round, then his prospects of another all-conquering season will be there for all to see.

Return to a mile could help progressive Star shine

From a different angle, the case for yet another Beauty parade may not be completely cut and dried.

Barring a few reminders from Zac Purton as he hung right while surging clear to break the track record in the Jockey Club Mile last November, Beauty Generation hasn’t come close to feeling the whip for a year.

But the poster boy of Hong Kong racing needed several stern cracks as Singapore Sling came charging at him in this race a year ago and this time he races from a 6lb higher mark.

On the plus side, three of only four rivals who are in the handicap – namely Rise High, Glorious Forever and Eagle Way – probably require further than a mile to produce their best.

However, Singapore Sling has had “a proper prep” according to Millard and is only 1lb out of the weights as he attempts to repeat last year’s fine effort.

He looks primed to run another solid race despite a wide draw, while Ka Ying Star (highly progressive when known as Urban Aspect for Andrew Balding last year) should relish the return to a mile after recording a career best to chase Beauty Generation home in the Celebration Cup three weeks ago.

Logic suggests the champion ought to prevail again but in order to do so he needs to become the first horse in Hong Kong history to defy a local rating of 138 in high-class handicap company.

Ka Ying Star and Singapore Sling might just be able to stretch him in receipt of 20lb. After all, as Mr Millard reminded us, even the mighty Enable met her match in the end.

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