John Size has confirmed Beauty Eternal is in “really good order” as he looks to kick off his season with a win in Sunday’s Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m).

After scoring a Group Two victory in last November’s Jockey Club Mile, Beauty Eternal broke through at the top level at the fourth time of asking with a decisive success in April’s Champions Mile.

“He’s had a good, long break and comes back in really good order,” Size said. “He hasn’t had any hiccups with his spell or his preparation and I think it might be a nice return for him.

“Luckily we had a shower of rain [on Friday] and a little bit of the heat is gone because it does get pretty hot in October.”

Preparing to lock horns with fellow Group One winner Voyage Bubble and rising star Galaxy Patch, Beauty Eternal is expected to come on for the run in Sunday’s feature, with the main target for the son of Starspangledbanner likely to be the Group One Hong Kong Mile in December.

“He’s only had two trials and he’s obviously going to derive a lot of benefit from his first race after a break, but he can’t get the benefit until he’s out of the race,” Size said.

“He’s in good shape, I’m happy with him and I’m sure he’ll run well.”

Beauty Eternal made all in April’s Champions Mile and Size believes adopting similar tactics in this weekend’s contest could pay dividends.

“It looks like it will be beneficial for him if he can be on the speed, but it just depends,” Size said of Beauty Eternal, who jumps from stall six.

“He’s a horse that can be manoeuvred and he has the ability to use some tactics.”

The Sha Tin Trophy field was reduced to nine runners when Happy Together was scratched on Saturday with a heart abnormality.

Zac Purton will again partner Beauty Eternal – he’s the only jockey to ride him on race day – and the star Australian also teams up with Size in Sunday’s finale, which sees Wunderbar step up to Class Two level but remain at 1,200m.

The four-year-old defied a lengthy absence to power his way to victory in Class Three company last month and should have every chance to continue his ascendancy from the inside gate.

“He looked like he was a class above the competition that day,” Size said of Wunderbar’s latest win.

“His condition was always going to be questionable because he hadn’t raced for eight months and had an operation, but watching the race live, he was just a different class of horse and that was going to get him home.

“[Barrier one] looks all right on paper, but what happens when the gates open can be completely different.”

It could be a lucrative afternoon for Purton and Size, who also join forces with Ensued in the third contest on the programme, a Class Three over 2,000m.

A three-time winner from his first four starts in the city, Ensued ran on well to finish third in the Classic Cup (1,800m) before failing to fire when last seen finishing 12th in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) nearly seven months ago.

“He’s an interesting horse,” Size said. “He’s probably restricted in one way and advantaged in the same way – like everything and everybody his strength is also his weakness.

“His strength is his ability to stay and his stamina, but his weakness is that he’s got no turn of foot – he can’t change gears.

“But it depends on what race you’re in I suppose. He’s in Class Three over 2,000m and you’d think that’s suitable.”