Matthew Poon Ming-fai continues to churn out the winners at a steady rate of knots and heads into Saturday’s Sha Tin meeting with a decent book of rides.

With 25 winners this season, Poon could challenge his best-ever haul of 37 – which he achieved last campaign – and he has been supplied with plenty of ammunition this weekend as he attempts to fire himself into the winner’s enclosure once again.

Legendary trainer Tony Cruz supplies Poon with some of his best chances on Saturday, with last-start winner Campione taking his chance on dirt for the first time in the Class Three D’Aguilar Peak Handicap (1,200m).

Poon is pleased with the opportunities afforded to him but admits to harbouring doubts over whether Campione will handle the dirt and his ability to overcome an outside draw in stall 12.

“I have some good rides for Tony Cruz this week,” Poon said. “There is a question mark about the surface as I looked at all his trials in Hong Kong and he’s never trialled on the dirt.

“He’s got speed so I think from a wide draw, he’ll still try to go from the front and try to lead. Even if he cannot lead, he’ll try to be up there. Tony thinks that he can handle the dirt, so we’ll see if he can.”

Copartner Ambition is on the cusp of a jump to Class Two company and carries top weight in the Class Three Ma Kong Shan Handicap (1,400m) after a string of good runs.

“He’s very consistent and he ran very well last time and in his last few starts,” Poon said. “I think he’s got a good chance. If the race has a nice, fast tempo he will finish off quite strong.”

Dashing Genius in the Class Four Siu Ma Shan Handicap (1,200m) is another Poon mount supplied by Cruz and he brushed aside some disappointing runs when finishing third on his first attempt on dirt last time.

“He’s a young horse and is still learning and improving,” Poon said. “We found he trialled better on the dirt and he ran well on it last start, so hopefully he’ll keep improving and finish better than last start.”

Poon has formed a good relationship with Infinite Power, who contests the Class Three Mount Butler Handicap (1,650m) on the dirt.

The jockey has been aboard the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained runner in his last 11 starts going back to June last year and has guided him to four victories during that time.

How two nasty falls in one season prompted Poon to change his approach

“He’s had many starts this season and in most of them he’s run quite well,” Poon said. “He’s won on dirt before, he’s now in Class Three and he should be competitive.”

Poon is not the only local jockey in with a good chance of saluting at Sha Tin on Saturday, as Jerry Chau Chun-lok – who has picked up the ride on Lucky Patch in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize – will be looking forward to the ride on Flying Season in the Class Three Cheung Lin Shan Handicap (1,000m).

Chau is chasing a hat-trick on Manfred Man Ka-leung’s runner and the trainer is confident of another big run.

“He’s kept his form,” Man said. “I’m happy with everything and I expect he can win again.”