Caspar Fownes hopes the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) at the end of the month will provide Sky Darci with the perfect stepping stone towards a campaign aimed at December’s Hong Kong International Races.

This year’s Hong Kong Derby hero trialled nicely at Sha Tin on Friday morning, settling at the back of the field before powering home for third, and Fownes couldn’t be happier with the four-year-old.

“He was good, he’s right where we want him going for the race at the end of the month,” the trainer said.

“He had a nice freshen up after his Derby win and he’s coming up good. He was very relaxed today and I just said to Joao [Moreira] to let him ride where he’s comfortable and let him work home the last part, which he did.

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“He’s pretty close to being spot on, another quiet gallop and one final blowout and he’ll be there.”

Fownes expects the step back from the 2,000m of the Derby to a mile to be ideal for Sky Darci, who won a Class One at the trip when stepping up straight from Class Three in November.

“I think he’s going to be very effective at a mile and I’m looking forward to the race. It will be a good race for him because I’m sure Ka Ying [Star] will run there and give us some weight so that will give us a test to see what we’re like against horses that are just off the best,” he said.

“It’s going to be a good race for him. If he can come and win that race and look good, then we can start looking at the big race in December.”

The Tony Cruz-trained Ka Ying Star went around in the same trial, taking up his customary lead role and hanging on to win the hit-out as he builds towards an expected attempt at defending his Lion Rock Trophy crown on May 30.

Also on display on Friday morning was undefeated wrecking ball Courier Wonder, with the three-year-old tuning up for his tilt at the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) on next weekend’s Group One Champions & Chater Cup card.

Moreira sat comfortably in second aboard the John Size-trained speedster before peeling out turning for home and hitting the line in front.

“He is such a special horse. I’ve been saying that it’s been a while since a horse gave me a feel that he has been giving me,” Moreira said.

“I was actually asked by Size to make sure that I don’t go too hard and look after him a bit. That’s pretty much what I’ve done. Luckily we had a horse to take us into the corner and got him to relax a little bit more.

“It was another great opportunity for him to learn to be behind horses and he seems to be very straightforward. He responded very well. In the straight I had to hold him tight because he’s got so much in himself and I didn’t want to use it at the trials and have nothing left for the race.”