Helios Express continued on his merry way with victory in Sunday’s Classic Cup but it was another four-year-old who stunned fans with by far the afternoon’s most visually impressive performance.

On debut in the city after two wins from five starts when trained by Aidan O’Brien and known as Broadhurst, Massive Sovereign laid down one of the season’s most impressive Hong Kong Derby markers with the easiest of Class Three Somerset Handicap (2,000m) victories.

Positioned just behind midfield on the rail from gate one by champion jockey Zac Purton, the Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained $9.15 chance cruised into the race turning for home and exploded in the straight to win by a three and a quarter lengths from fellow Derby hopeful Simple Hedge.

“I’m very happy. I’ve been training about 22 years and it’s the first time I’ve run one over 2,000m first start. He got the win. Wow,” said a beaming Yip.

“The horse only arrived in Hong Kong four months ago and the owner [Chan Kam-hung] told me straight away he wanted to go to the Derby.

“So I put Zac on in a trial and Zac told me that the horse is very gentle and very nice. He said ‘I like him a lot’. I wanted to run him at a mile first to warm him up but Zac said ‘I’ve got a ride, I can only ride him in the 2,000m’.

“He also told me that if the owner wants to go to the Derby he had to win this race – if he won at a mile maybe they wouldn’t choose the horse for the Derby. By winning at 2,000m now we have the chance to go to the Derby.”

In a race run half a second inside standard for the first 1,200m, Purton rode Massive Sovereign like he knew exactly what he had under him, easing him off the rail down the back straight and barely moving a muscle until the 400m.

“I’ve liked him in everything I’ve had to do with him, he’s just got a lovely attitude,” Purton said of a galloper he’s trialled twice.

“He really conserves his energy and looks after himself well. His trials, I thought, were good and it was unconventional to run him over 2,000m the first time but the owner really wants to run him in the Derby.

“We had to roll dice and if it worked, it worked – which it has. Off that effort, he’s got to be in the Derby field, doesn’t he?”

Massive Sovereign’s rating of 72 will jump into the 80s on the back of Sunday’s effort, which should be more than enough to ensure him a run in March 24’s Derby.

“If he gets into the Derby we will go straight there. Three weeks between runs is perfect for him,” Yip confirmed.

Massive Sovereign’s success completed a treble for Purton after his earlier victories aboard Oriental Smoke in the second section of the Class Four Essex Handicap (1,200m) and Devas Twelve in the Class Four Norfolk Handicap (1,600m).

“Before the race I thought he should run well, but drawing 13 he needed some luck. Zac did a really, really good job,” trainer Chris So Wai-yin said of Purton’s effort aboard Devas Twelve.