While you couldn’t wipe the smile off Dennis Yip Chor-hong’s face after Massive Sovereign’s slashing success at Sha Tin on Sunday, there was – outwardly at least – some uncertainty from the veteran handler about the chances of his exciting four-year-old making next month’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) field.

He needn’t have worried. Penalised 10 points for his three-and-a-quarter-length victory on Hong Kong debut, Massive Sovereign’s new mark of 82 has him sitting sixth among the gallopers who look likely to target the city’s most prestigious race.

A winner of two of his five pre-import starts under the tutelage of Aidan O’Brien, Massive Sovereign shapes as Yip’s first Derby runner since 2018 and the 56-year-old will be dreaming of bettering his previous best finish in the race – third with Silver Sun in 2006.

Zac Purton remains coy about whether he will partner Massive Sovereign in the Derby – it seems a safe bet he will – with the reigning champion jockey also the regular rider for Helene Feeling, who finished sixth as a $6.2 chance in the second leg of the four-year-old series on Sunday, the Classic Cup (1,800m).

After finishing second in the Classic Mile, Helene Feeling raced keenly in first-time blinkers on Sunday but may still demand serious consideration from Purton.

Helene Feeling’s mark of 95 puts him behind only Classic Mile and Classic Cup victor Helios Express (102) in the Derby order, with the latter looking to join Rapper Dragon and Golden Sixty in sweeping the four-year-old series.

Chill Chibi and Classic Cup placegetters Ensued and Chancheng Glory are the others that slot in above Massive Sovereign in the likely Derby field.

With John Size confirming Young Champion will bypass the Derby and instead stick to seven furlongs, that leaves Beauty Crescent, Speed Dragon, Unbelievable, California Voce (who missed the Classic Cup with lameness), Ka Ying Generation, Bravehearts, Elliptical and Simple Hedge as the other eight gallopers inside the top 14 from a ratings perspective.

At least one of those gallopers is expected to miss out, however, with the 74-rated Star Mac, who finished third in the Classic Mile and fourth in the Classic Cup, likely to earn a Derby spot at the discretion of officials.

The Jamie Richards-trained Bravehearts, who on a mark of 76 sits alongside Elliptical and Simple Hedge as the lowest-rated gallopers in the top 14, looks a candidate to be culled after finishing a distant eighth behind Massive Sovereign, however he is a Group One winner in Argentina.

Joining Star Mac outside the top 14 as far as ratings go are Classic Cup runners Fallon (10th) and Simply Maverick (12th), with their hopes of a discretionary selection looking far slimmer.

There will be a handful of gallopers with a chance to stake their claims at Sha Tin this Sunday, even if the afternoon’s 1,800m Class Two doesn’t boast a single four-year-old.

Unofficially named the Collection Stakes and often used as a Derby lead up, the race is open to gallopers rated 105-80 after John Moore persuaded Jockey Club officials to expand the race’s ratings band so his charge Collection could run in the race on his way to victory in the 2009 Derby.

Sunday’s Class Three 1,600m contest does boast a couple of Derby angles, however, with the 73-rated Golden Artie and Illuminous (71), Giddy Up (69) and Soleil Fighter (66) all lining up.

The Jockey Club will confirm the field next Thursday, March 14 and whatever happens down near the cut-off line, it’s sure to be Helios Express and Massive Sovereign who dominate conversation between now and March 24’s feature.

When Ensued saluted over 1,800m in October, he became the first horse since Champions Gallery in 2006 to succeed on Hong Kong debut over nine furlongs or further.

Massive Sovereign took that up a notch by winning at 2,000m on Sunday and while Helios Express remains the rightful Derby favourite, the picture became a lot more colourful over the weekend.