Tony Cruz believes Hong Kong horses can maintain a stranglehold over Macau in the return leg of the interport series at Taipa Racecourse today as the trainer looks to build on a good record in the event.

Cruz sends out last-start winner Multivictory in the Group Three Macau Hong Kong Trophy and a win would give him a fourth success in the series a decade after winning his first. Multivictory joins Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained pair Guru's Dream and Winning Leader, Tony Millard's Super Lifeline and Ricky Yiu Poon-fai's Great Spirit in the HK$2.4 million event.

Multivictory dead-heated for fourth in the first leg at Sha Tin last month, a race where Hong Kong-trained runners continued their dominance on home turf by filling the first seven places.

"Multivictory has a big chance, but I think the other Hong Kong horses will be very hard to beat," said Cruz, who won both legs with Helene Pillaging in 2005 and won at home with Happee Owner the following year.

"Dennis has two there with a great chance, while Super Lifeline finished equal with my horse in the first leg and will be right there again. Still, my horse travelled over well and is in great shape, and 1,500m isn't a problem for him, so I am confident."

It has been three years since Gary Moore-trained Viva Pronto won the Macau Hong Kong Trophy and gave the locals a win at home and five years since Macau had a win at Sha Tin, when the same horse triumphed at big odds.

Macau-trained runners have traditionally performed better at home on the tighter course, but the visitors have won the race for the past two years with Noble Alpha in 2013 and My Name Is Bond last year.

Millard said: "My horse might be a little bit vulnerable at that distance, but he has travelled over well and sometimes you just need things to fall into place."