Blanks at 13 of the past 15 meetings ruined Ricky Yiu Poon-fai’s chance of his second trainers’ title, but the 2019-20 champion is Cheery about both the short- and long-term prospects of his resuming last-start winner in Saturday’s eighth event at Sha Tin.

Cheery supplied Yiu with the 16th of his 51 victories this season when he carried 133 pounds, including Zac Purton, to his emphatic Class Four mile success in a fast-run contest at Sha Tin the week before Christmas.

Unfortunately for Cheery and his connections, the four-year-old Artie Schiller gelding bled from both nostrils after his January trial effort behind superstars California Spangle and Golden Sixty, which saw him banned from racing for three months.

However, Yiu believes Cheery has benefited from the time he spent out of action, almost all of which he spent at the trainer’s out-of-town stable.

“We sent him to Conghua, and this long break has done him good. He’s built up a lot in himself. He looks like a different horse to me,” said Yiu of Cheery, whose comeback begins from barrier 12 in the full-field Class Three Lung Mun Road Handicap (1,600m).

Cheery rises in grade for his first competitive outing in 174 days, but Yiu is confident he will acquit himself well over the trip he won by nearly two lengths late last year.

“He’s had a few trials, so I’m starting him over the mile, a distance he enjoys. I’ve always believed in him. He’ll definitely win a Class Three race,” said Yiu, whose weekend squad also features Adefill, Pleasant Endeavor, Winwin Thirtythree, Round The Globe, Super Elite and Excellent Fighter.

Karis Teetan will ride Adefill for Yiu in the Class Three Chai Wan Road Handicap (1,800m) on the all-weather track, and the Mauritian jockey thinks the dirt specialist’s racing style will enable him to see out the nine-furlong trip at his first attempt.

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“He’s very kind in his races and does what you want him to do. I think he should be able to handle the distance,” said Teetan of Adefill, who has been a revelation since Yiu switched him to the all-weather surface, winning three events in a row before filling minor places behind Youthful Deal and Erimo.

Adefill will meet Erimo 10 pounds better on Saturday than he did when four lengths separated them at the end of their 1,650m clash last month.

Michael Dee does not hold any engagements at Sha Tin because he has seven rides at Eagle Farm, among them Ruthless Dame in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m).