Francis Lui Kin-wai says he will wait until next season before deciding on Golden Sixty’s future, with the veteran trainer not ruling out a potential nine-year-old campaign for the world’s highest-earning galloper.

Lui initially suggested Golden Sixty had “probably” run his last race after the 10-time Group One winner finished fourth on a rain-affected surface in April’s Group One Champions Mile.

But after keeping his star ticking over with some light exercise in the past month, Lui confirms he has left the door open for a possible Hong Kong Mile defence in December.

“We’ll make a decision next season,” Lui said. “We’ll keep him light trotting, not fit but just exercising. Let him move for his joints and his bones. He’s physically great and mentally he really likes to race – he really enjoys it.

“I think the [Hong Kong] Mile is the main target if I decide to run him again. We’ll see, it’s no harm to give him a warm-up race as well.”

At the beginning of this season, Lui and owner Stanley Chan Ka-leung outlined plans to bring the curtain down on Golden Sixty’s career after outings in the Hong Kong Mile, January’s Group One Stewards’ Cup and the Champions Mile.

But Golden Sixty threw an immediate spanner in the works when the superstar showed he had retained every ounce of his ability as an eight-year-old, producing an electrifying Hong Kong Mile win off a 224-day break in December.

A small setback forced him to miss the Stewards’ Cup a month later, while he failed to fire on yielding ground on Champions Day, where he was beaten three and a quarter lengths in fourth.

One constant presence throughout Golden Sixty’s career has been jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu, who has been aboard for all 31 of the galloper’s starts, which have netted 26 wins and a staggering HK$167 million in prize money.

The 34-year-old rider says Golden Sixty’s desire to compete is still a strong as ever.

“I see him every day,” Ho said. “He’s good, fresh and just trotting at the moment. He still wants to race, of course. What separates the good horses from the legends is their mindset and Golden Sixty has both the ability and the mindset.”

Before a decision is made on Golden Sixty’s future, Ho confirmed he will be back riding in England and Japan this summer.

The rider was unable to compete in Britain last season after he suffered a crashing fall in Japan in July last year.

“I’ll ride for [trainer] Charlie Johnston and I’ll go to Goodwood for a week – it will be a great experience. After Goodwood I’ll be in the UK for another two weeks – I’ll spend about a month there,” he said.

“After the UK I’m going to Japan for the jockey championship at the end of August. Riding with all the best jockeys and horses in the world will be good.”

Ho, who has endured a lengthy suspension and a nasty injury this season, sits on 34 wins for the campaign and will aim to add to his tally with five rides at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening.

Ho will team up with three Lui-trained gallopers – Running Boy, Gallant Waking and Joyful Hunter – on the nine-race card, while Sixth Generation and Amazing Award complete the rider’s book.