A week on from Golden Sixty’s heroics in the Group One Hong Kong Mile, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu and Francis Lui Kin-wai will introduce what they hope is an exciting galloper when high-priced acquisition Patch Of Theta makes his debut in Sunday’s Class Four Lukfook Jewellery Diapure Handicap (1,000m) at Sha Tin.

Hong Kong International Sale (HKIS) auctioneer Clint Donovan knocked down Patch Of Theta to Angela Yeung Kit-ming for HK$8.6 million, and the sale-topping three-year-old will have the disadvantage of gate one on Sha Tin’s straight course when he faces a full field of opponents on his first start.

A son of two-time Group One winner Zoustar, Patch Of Theta has been progressing with each of his four trials at Sha Tin and edged clear of his rivals to win his latest 1,050m all-weather heat last month.

“He feels like a good horse, and he has a lot of potential. It’s only his first start, but I’m pretty optimistic,” Ho said.

Ho has plenty of experience aboard HKIS graduates, including last year’s two most expensive purchases, Denfield (HK$7.8 million) and Nordic Dragon (HK$7 million).

“Denfield and Nordic [Dragon] are two nice horses,” Ho said. “Of course, Patch Of Theta is still a baby and needs time to learn, but he also feels like a good horse with plenty of ability.

Patch Of Theta’s price tag makes him one of the most expensive purchases in HKIS history – only Circuit Number One (HK$11 million) and Household King (HK$10.5 million) went for more money in the past 10 years – and he will aim to recoup a small portion of his cost at the first time of asking.

“He was very keen, but lately, he feels much better,” Ho said. “Let’s see how he races. If he relaxes during the race, he should put in a good performance.”

If Lui-trained Patch Of Theta were to get off the mark on Sunday, he would take his first step in bucking the trend of recent sales toppers failing to make significant progress on their assigned rating of 52.

Denfield, who attracted the highest purchase price of the 2022 HKIS, has achieved the best rating of top lots in recent years of 65. Perfect Peach, who topped the 2021 HKIS at HK$5 million, will run in Sunday’s opening race, the Class Five Lukfook Jewellery Hexicon Handicap (1,400m), off his mark of 39, while July 2020 HKIS graduate Star Of Wuyi (HK$7.2 million) retired on 34.

Ho will partner Patch Of Theta off the back of a tremendous week, which also saw him triumph in the International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley.

“Last week was amazing, but you have to focus on this week’s racing,” Ho said. “You don’t really have time to reflect, and you don’t have time to let your body rest a bit.”

Sitting on 16 wins for the campaign, Ho heads to Sha Tin with a strong book of rides and believes Dream Winner can bounce back in the Class Two Lukfook Jewellery Cup (1,000m) after impressing in his trial victory earlier this month.

“Finally, he’s shown a better performance in his last trial,” Ho said. “Earlier this season, when I was out, Matthew Chadwick rode him at trials, and Dream Winner was really not in form. His results also showed that. Hopefully, the headgear helps, and the step back to 1,000m should be fine.”