Lucky Sweynesse’s connections are certainly dreaming big about what the rest of 2023 could hold for their superstar sprinter, but first there is the small matter of Sunday’s Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) and the four-year-old’s bid to sweep the Hong Kong Speed Series.

While June’s Group One Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) in Japan and the mega-rich Everest (1,200m) in Sydney in October have been floated as potential targets for Lucky Sweynesse, the four-year-old stands to pocket HK$16.4 million this weekend if he lands the HK$20 million feature’s first prize and in turn trousers the HK$5 million Speed Series bonus.

It would be Lucky Sweynesse’s third Group One victory during a breakout season that has featured six wins from eight starts and seen the gelding race once a month since saluting on the opening day of the season in September.

While jockey Zac Purton knows he is on the best horse in the race, he does have some concerns with a horse he has won aboard seven times.

“He’s had a long season and he’s been pulling a little bit in his trackwork, so I’m not sure if he’s just gone over the top a little bit or not, but all the other signs he’s giving me are he’s still in his best form,” Purton said.

“He’s just got to turn up in the form he’s been in [to win]. His mannerisms in the morning and the fact he’s had a long season does pose some type of question, but he’s been unbelievably consistent all season and he’s just continued to get better as the season’s gone on.

“In the past few months, he’s certainly taken a big leap and I feel like he’s going to take another one. I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

Purton also has live chances in Sunday’s other Group One features, climbing on California Spangle for the FWD Champions Mile and Japanese galloper Prognosis in the QE II Cup (2,000m).

While Tony Cruz made it clear California Spangle will be leading at all costs in a Champions Mile that Purton believes is “Golden Sixty’s to lose … only bad luck beats him”, Purton is likely to find himself last aboard Prognosis in a seven-horse QE II Cup.

“He did everything I wanted him to do. He was quite relaxed and when I wanted him to pick up, he did. He’s very fit. He didn’t blow at all when he pulled up, so I think he’s in very good form,” Purton said of his gallop on Prognosis on Wednesday.

“Our problem now is we settle at the rear of the field, so the pace of the race is going to be important to us. There’s only one horse in this race who does have speed and can lead in Money Catcher, and our fate is going to be dictated by how fast he goes.

Spangle to lead at all costs in Champions Mile: ‘Tony has made it very clear’

“He looks like he’s out of it in the ratings. He needs to improve and improve quite a bit to be competitive with these horses. But he’s lightly raced and from what I understand, he’s had an interrupted career with injuries, so he probably hasn’t had a lot of consistent racing.

“In more recent times, we’ve seen the best of him. He’s improving and his last run was very good – it was a good win and he ran home in good time. So he’s a horse who’s on the way up and they can take that leap that’s necessary, so I’m hoping he can do that.”