Bundle Of Energy can notch his maiden victory early next season if his eye-catching effort at Happy Valley is anything to go by.

The David Hall-trained three-year-old didn’t show much in his first two starts, basically following the field around in each of those efforts, but that all changed on Wednesday night in the first section of the Class Four Carnation Handicap (1,200m).

After being beaten for speed, jockey Ben So Tik-hung settled him back in the field early and it looked like a carbon copy of his early runs.

However, Bundle Of Energy had something to offer in the straight, working between horses before hitting the line strongly to grab third, a half-length behind the winner Good Companion.

He ran his last 400m in a strong 22.92 seconds, the second quickest of the race, and he didn’t get the cleanest passage in the straight.

Bundle Of Energy is by French Derby winner Reliable Man, so he should be better suited with a step up in distance, while he will take plenty from the experience.

It was also the gelding’s first start at Happy Valley and he seemed to relish it, so a 1,650m contest early next season could be right up his alley.

Another worth following is Peter Ho Leung’s Captain Boss, who flashed home in the second section of the Class Four Carnation Handicap (1,200m).

The four-year-old has plummeted down the ratings, arriving on a mark of 78 after landing three wins in Ireland, but had dropped to 47 after really struggling early in his Hong Kong stint.

He fell out to last in this race but did his best work late, unleashing a remarkable turn of foot – something he hadn’t shown previously – to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind Noble Delight.

Captain Boss ran the fastest final 400m of the meeting, clocking 22.24 seconds, and it looks like he has finally acclimatised to life in Hong Kong.

If he can build on that effort, he will be winning races soon.