Danny Shum Chap-shing is old enough to remember when Happy Valley hosted the Hong Kong Derby, and the sexagenarian trainer wishes the city circuit was the venue for this season’s Classic Series finale because he thinks Chill Chibi would be unbeatable in the HK$26 million event over 2,000m on March 24 if it were.

Shum was a struggling jockey – he rode 24 Hong Kong winners between 1977 and 1983 – when Happy Valley last staged an edition of the city’s most prestigious race in 1978.

Now a Group One-winning trainer at home and abroad, Shum believes he would have an outstanding chance of adding a second Hong Kong Derby cup to his trophy cabinet – he prepared 2022 champion Romantic Warrior – if the 2024 contest took place at the Happy Valley track where Chill Chibi has won the past four of his five starts.

“If the Derby was at Happy Valley, I think he would win it,” Shum said of Chill Chibi. “He’s been impressive so far. He’s got a good turn of foot and a good engine.”

A February winner before recurring leg issues kept him on the sidelines for nine months, Chill Chibi has quickly climbed into the Derby picture with another three dominant victories at Happy Valley this term.

On November 1, Chill Chibi made light of his 273-day absence to run away with the Class Three Fife Handicap (1,650m) by two and three-quarters lengths under Lyle Hewitson. Jerry Chau Chun-lok regained the ride for Chill Chibi’s commanding performance in the Class Three Hanshin Handicap (1,650m) a fortnight later, and the duo won the Class Three Dunnottar Castle Handicap (1,800m) on November 29.

Again in tandem with Chau, Chill Chibi has an opportunity to strengthen his Classic Series credentials in Wednesday night’s Class Two Saturn Handicap (1,650m).

“I’m looking forward to Wednesday. He’s a good horse,” Shum said. “At this stage, I can’t see any really good four-year-old horses, but that’s only at this stage.

“He can stay no problem, whether it’s 1,650m or 2,000m. I’m not sure how good he can be. That’s the big question.”

Attempting to fend off the likes of Find My Love and hat-trick seeker Drombeg Banner, Chill Chibi tackles the Saturn Handicap aiming to become the first galloper to win five consecutive Happy Valley races since Fa Fa between June and December in 2021.

Similarly to Chill Chibi, who began his winning spree in Class Four company over 1,650m at Happy Valley, the first victory of Fa Fa’s 2021 streak occurred over the same distance in the same grade before his sequence ended with a Class Two success.

Subsequently, Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Fa Fa failed to land a blow in the 2022 Classic Series. However, Shum hopes Chill Chibi will have contrasting fortunes if he lines up in this season’s $HK13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile on February 4.

“He’ll go straight to the Classic Mile after Wednesday,” Shum said. “Sixteen hundred metres is not a problem, but I’m not sure whether Sha Tin will be suitable for him. It’s a big question mark, and I have no idea if he’ll handle it because he’s had five starts at Happy Valley.”

Chau, who sits on 12 wins this term, knows Chill Chibi better than anyone after riding him in four of his five assignments. Chau is happy with the son of Wrote, who will exit the outside gate in the eight-runner Saturn Handicap.

“He’s a fantastic horse, he’s got a good heart, and every time he fights for me,” Chau said. “In the early stages [on his latest outing], he couldn’t catch up with the pace, but when I started to ask him to go – I didn’t want to get into a traffic jam – he showed his talent. He’s got a lot of potential.”

Jockey Club officials have approved Angus Chung Yik-lai to ride at Happy Valley on Wednesday night after he hurt his left ankle at Sha Tin on Sunday, while Hugh Bowman is on track to make his competitive return at Sha Tin on December 26.