Neither of Hong Kong’s top two sprinters will contest next month’s Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize with Hot King Prawn set to watch on from the sidelines after a tough campaign.

Trainer John Size confirmed the popular grey, who collected his maiden Group One in January’s Centenary Sprint Cup, will miss both Monday’s Group Two Sprint Cup and the feature on April 25.

It comes hot on the heels of the news that Caspar Fownes’ star speedster Classique Legend is heading back to Australia after bleeding at trackwork on Wednesday morning.

Star sprinter Classique Legend out of Hong Kong’s April features, will return to Australia

Unlike Classique Legend, there is no ailment forcing Hot King Prawn out, the 11-time champion trainer explaining he simply needs a rest.

“He’s fine, he’s had a bit of racing this season – he won his Group One as a six-year-old, which I was hoping he could do. He’s feeling the effects of that and just wants a bit of time off,” Size said.

“I don’t think there’s much point in trying to persevere with the season, I’ll give him a break. I’ll try him as a seven-year-old and if he wants to train we’ll go to the races and if not, we’ll forget about it.”

Japan’s Champions Day raid gains momentum after weekend of strong results

It leaves 13 horses in Monday’s Sprint Cup with the Richard Gibson-trained Wellington set to start favourite after an impressive win in the Class One Lantau Handicap (1,200m) earlier this month.