He snared the quinella in the 2021 Classic Mile and John Size hopes he can enjoy similar success when he saddles up the two highest-rated runners in this year’s renewal at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Size dominated the first leg of the Classic Series in 2021 when $23 chance Excellent Proposal led home Lucky Express to deliver the 12-time champion trainer a third victory in the contest.

Leading his charge this year is red-hot favourite Helios Express, who has saluted in four of his six Hong Kong starts and will aim to build on a commanding Class Two win over Sha Tin’s 1,600m course last month.

“He adapted to 1,600m more or less straight away,” Size said. “He seemed to travel not too bad, a little bit strong I guess, but still manageable. It was a slowly run race and he sprinted well off that slow speed, so that’s about all you could’ve expected from him.”

After settling in midfield under Hugh Bowman, Helios Express travelled powerfully around the home bend, hit the front 200m from home and skipped clear in the closing stages to finish two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Spirited Express.

“He seems all right and I don’t think he’s taken any harm from the race. He seems to have coped with it pretty well. His trial was normal and it looks like he’s going to run a race again,” Size said.

Size claimed his maiden Classic Mile crown in 2016 when Ryan Moore and Sun Jewellery finished a neck ahead of Bowman’s fast-finishing mount, Werther.

While it was the prolific handler who prevented Bowman from claiming his first win in the contest eight years ago, the 43-year-old rider hopes to be on the right side of a Size victory this weekend.

Bowman will ride the 102-rated Helios Express for the second time, while his 98-rated stablemate, Howdeepisyourlove, has the services of gun for hire James McDonald, provided he passes a fitness test at Sha Tin on Sunday morning.

Victorious on four occasions over Happy Valley’s 1,200m course last term, Howdeepisyourlove will stretch out to a mile for the first time in Sunday’s feature after staying on into sixth over the Sha Tin 1,400m last month.

“He’s a different style of horse at Sha Tin, but I think he handles it quite well. The times we’ve run him here he’s been fine,” Size said. “It looks like he can run a mile. This is his first attempt and he’s probably going to be fitter in the future.

“He’ll probably appreciate a slower track and it’s coming that way now the winter grass has grown. He seems in good order and he’s certainly going to run well.”

Howdeepisyourlove will have to negotiate gate nine under the guidance of McDonald, who returns on the hunt for more Sha Tin success with a five-strong book consisting solely of Size-trained runners.

Among the 32-year-old’s mounts are a pair of debutants, Young Champion and Stellar Express, with the former racing on Hong Kong soil for the first time in the Class Three Peach Blossom Handicap (1,200m).

After claiming one win from four pre-import outings in Ireland, Young Champion has contested four barrier trials and left a good first impression on his new conditioner.

Hewitson hopes Chancheng can make own Glory: ‘He will be on the pointy end’

“He seems to be enjoying it. He hasn’t given us reason to be concerned about him,” Size said. “He’s healthy and well, he’s sound and he’s got a good temperament.

“He has seemed to adapt to the Hong Kong style of trialling rather quickly for a northern hemisphere horse, so I’m happy to take him to the races. I think he’s going to acquit himself very well.”

Stood down at Rosehill on Saturday after injuring his left foot in the barriers before the running of race five, McDonald is expected to travel to Hong Kong as planned before the Jockey Club’s chief medical officer makes a final call on his availability on Sunday morning.