John Size will set boom youngster Courier Wonder for the Group One Hong Kong Sprint after extending his unbeaten run to five on a banner day for the stable.

Courier Wonder’s victory in the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) was the highlight of a wonderful afternoon for the 11-time champion trainer, who also secured wins with two other debutants – Toronado Phantom and Drops Of God.

Courier Wonder looks to be Hong Kong’s “next big thing” and he did nothing to dissuade that notion, comfortably accounting his rivals in the biggest test of his fledgling career.

There were a couple of nervous moments for those who piled into the $1.15 but the son of Sacred Falls got the job done, beating Stronger by three-quarters of a length with Sky Field back in third.

While not as visually stunning as some of his previous efforts, Size was pleased with the outcome.

“It’s different circumstances today, he raced a classier field of horses. Today, he sort of showed that he’s able to follow a horse and take part in a field correctly,” he said.

“He showed some determination in the run to the line, so I think it’s all very pleasing. I think that he probably showed that he was looking for a break anyway – that was the feeling I got watching the race live. [The Hong Kong Sprint] – that’s where we’re heading.”

Joao Moreira fawns over Courier Wonder: ‘I can’t remember the last sprinter to give me this feeling’

Star jockey Joao Moreira was again effusive in his praise for Courier Wonder.

“We had a great opportunity to learn a bit more about him today. The pace was really genuine so he had a chance to settle behind others. When we first started turning he got a bit lost and wanted to run out, shying away from the other horses, but as we progressed he started to relax, which is fantastic,” he said.

“In the straight, I pulled him out and he dashed home as he always does – good horses like him give jockeys an amazing feeling.

“I’m very excited [for next season]. He’s the type of horse that everyone dreams to have.”

The race prior, Size and Moreira combined with Drops Of God ($1.85), who led all the way in the Class Four Makarpura Star Handicap (1,200m).

“He looks like the sprinter that he’s supposed to be. He’s well behaved and even first day at the races he seems to do everything right,” Size said.

“He was forced to lead the race and he still looked like an experienced horse when he straightened up, which is pleasing. He should be able to win a few races fairly quickly.”

In the opening event, Chad Schofield and Toronado Phantom rattled over the top of their rivals to collect the Pakistan Star Plate (1,200m) for Griffins at a juicy $17.

“As a northern hemisphere Griffin, he’s done a really good job to do that. A Toronado, a nice pedigree, a beautiful action,” Size said.

“He trained well in Conghua and it looks like he’s going to improve and develop and run a bit further than 1,200m – I don’t think he’ll be limited to that. I think there’s a lot of development in him. I’m pretty hopeful about his future – he’s going to win some races.”

Most stables can only dream of having three three-year-olds salute at the same meeting and they all look exciting in their own right, so the future is bright for the Size camp.

“You get a little bit more hope, that’s for sure,” he said. “When they go to the races and perform it certainly makes your day a lot easier. It’s what it’s all about.”

The treble takes Size to 65 winners for the campaign, three in front of Caspar Fownes with 14 meetings remaining.

“I’m still hanging in there, I’m still in a position [to win] so I’ll keep going,” he said.