The genius of John Size was on full display at Sha Tin on Sunday as the reigning champion trainer got off the mark for the 2023-24 season and unveiled a promising Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) type in one fell swoop.

Making his Hong Kong debut in the Class Three Sha Kok Handicap (1,800m), Ensued defied an outside gate and a three-wide run to salute for the first time in his career.

Size was as matter of fact as ever when quizzed on his decision to unveil the American-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid over nine furlongs after three 1,200m trials, saying “the make-up of the horse and the way he presents himself” convinced him running over anything shorter would be a waste of time.

“I think the shorter races were going to give us sad stories from the jockeys, so I put him in a longer race to see what happened. They were only going to tell me he needs further, so I put him in at 1,800m, and he got away with it,” Size said.

Unsuccessful in three pre-import starts over a mile when trained by James Fanshawe in the United Kingdom – the latest two on the Polytrack – Ensued was given an initial Hong Kong rating of 64.

The three-year-old will now find himself on a mark of around 70, and Size is confident he will not be stopping there as connections plot a course towards the Classic Series and, ultimately, March’s Derby.

“He can run the trip, apparently, so if he can get the ratings to get in the race, he’s going to be one of those that can see it out,” Size said.

“Obviously, he should go up higher in class on that effort. For his first start in Hong Kong, that’s pretty good.”

Punters did not take any chances with Ensued, backing him into $7.8, and the gelding did not disappoint, moving nicely into the race from midfield under Zac Purton before digging deep late to hold out second favourite Snaffles by half a length.

“He got into his rhythm, relaxed and did everything you’d be hoping for at the 1,800m,” Size said of his maiden success for the campaign.

Ensued’s victory came further into the season than any first win of Size’s 23-term Hong Kong career, with the 12-time champion’s previous longest wait coming when he went until October 7 before breaking through in his debut campaign in the city.

The 69-year-old famously won the title that year, and there will not be many people betting against Size adding a 13th premiership to his CV this season.

Size sits 10 wins off championship leaders Francis Lui Kin-wai and Caspar Fownes, while Purton relinquished his lead in the jockeys’ title fight to Hugh Bowman despite also saluting aboard Pierre Ng Pang-chi’s Taj Dragon.

The win of Taj Dragon in the Class Three Mei Tin Handicap (1,400m) also completed a double for Ng after I Give had rung up his hat-trick of victories in the Class Four Sun Chui Handicap (1,200m).

Size’s win means Jimmy Ting Koon-ho is the only trainer yet to get off the mark in 2023-24.