For the seventh time this season, Brazilian jockey Silvestre de Sousa is looking to rebuild his momentum after a suspension, and of his eight weekend rides, it is the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Hava Nageela he hopes can get him off to a flying start at Sha Tin on Sunday.

After having his most recent ban reduced from three meetings to two on appeal, De Sousa returned at Happy Valley on Wednesday night but twice had to settle for narrow second placings.

While he sits fourth in the jockeys’ championship with 42 winners, De Sousa has not saluted the judge since April 2 – something he hopes Hava Nageela can change in the Class Three D’Aguilar Peak Handicap (1,650m) on the dirt to open Sunday’s card.

It is the same course and distance over which the four-year-old broke his Hong Kong maiden last start, producing an impressive two-and-three-quarter-length victory under De Sousa.

“He likes the track. He feels very comfortable on the all-weather. He won nicely, and if he comes into this race with the same form, he should be competitive,” De Sousa said.

“He’s very easy on himself, and he’s got acclimatised to the place. He gave me a good feeling when I rode him on the turf [when second two starts ago], and I thought I was a little bit unlucky when the penny dropped with him in the last 200m and he ran on very strong. It was nice to see him come out and win a race straight away after that, so the form is there.”

It was on a wet-slow all-weather track that Hava Nageela saluted last month, and with persistent rain expected throughout the weekend, the gelding could encounter similar conditions this time around in a seven-horse contest featuring the likes of Rocket Spade, So We Joy and Yes We Can.

Lor admits Hong Kong Derby may have been the one that got away from Sword Point

“He’s a big-framed horse, and that day the surface helped. But the track shouldn’t be a problem, whether it’s dry or a bit wet. He’s a horse who’s got a little bit of class about him,” De Sousa said.

The Brazilian also jumps aboard Speedy Fortune, Darci Joy, Lucky Ruby, Vantastic Choice, Brave Dreams, Sky Forever and Spirited Express at the 64th meeting of the season.