Francis Lui Kin-wai is taking the patient approach in his hunt for a maiden trainers’ championship and is quietly confident he can bridge the gap with a solid team of runners at Sha Tin on Sunday.

While Lui sits three wins behind title leader Pierre Ng Pang-chi, the veteran handler has saddled 124 fewer runners than the second-season conditioner.

In his effort to narrow the gap, the 65-year-old sends seven gallopers to Sha Tin’s 10-race card including a pair of debutants and progressive youngster Patch Of Theta.

Lui is not one for overstatement but he remains optimistic Patch Of Theta has plenty of upside as the four-year-old heads into the Class Three Beijing Clubhouse Handicap (1,400m).

“He’s a nice horse,” Lui said. “He keeps his form and keeps improving. It’s getting closer [in the trainers’ championship], so hopefully he can win.”

The HK$8.6 million International Sale Griffin has consistently improved through his seven starts this season, recording two wins, a pair of runner-up efforts and three third-place finishes.

While Patch Of Theta failed to justify a short price over this course and distance last month, he showed plenty of promise to run on from the rear of the field to snatch third.

He will jump from barrier nine under Hugh Bowman and take on a host of improving youngsters.

Among his main challengers are last-start winners Sky Heart and Beauty Glory, the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Loyal Bo Bo and Young Achiever, who was an impressive Group Two winner in Germany and gave a good account of himself to finish fifth on his local debut.

Lui launches a two-pronged attack in the feature Class One Racing Heritage Handicap (1,400m), with Packing Treadmill jumping from stall two and Wonder Kit from four.

“The distance will suit Packing Treadmill,” Lui said. “Wonder Kit is a very honest horse, he keeps his form and he’s very fit.”

Packing Treadmill has one win from 10 starts this term but has finished in the first four on seven of those outings, while Wonder Kit is another consistent galloper who arrives on the back of consecutive runner-up efforts.

Lui’s first debutant of the afternoon contests the Class Four Racing Club Handicap (1,200m), with Harold Win making his first career start after he won his latest barrier trial at Conghua. Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni hops aboard from gate two.

High Rise Power, Silver Sonic and debutant Winning Day complete Lui’s Sunday team.