Exciting four-year-old Packing Hermod continued his march towards the Classic Mile with a strong return when extending his unbeaten streak to three at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Sent off the $1.55 favourite in the Class Three Shared Prosperity Handicap (1,200m), the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained gelding overcame barrier 12 under champion jockey Zac Purton to maintain his unblemished record.

Purton sent Packing Hermod forward to settle outside of pacesetter I Give before making his move to pounce on the lead at the 250m.

The son of Rubick drew clear and was never threatened late, winning by a length and a quarter from Super Infinity. Mark Newnham filled both placings when Armour War Eagle ran on strongly for third.

A sensational winner of his first two starts late last season, Packing Hermod pleased reigning champion trainer Lui with his return off the back of two impressive trials.

“He’s a good horse – very honest. Three starts for three wins, I can’t complain,” Lui said.

“We had to use him a little bit more at the start today with the wide draw.”

Packing Hermod joined a host of four-year-olds to state their cases for January’s Classic Mile, which is the first leg of the Classic Series.

“I think he’ll get over longer distances,” Lui said.

“We will think about going up in distance next time, but it all depends how many points he gets and the programme.

“It’s hard to tell if he’ll get more than a mile, but the target is the Classic Mile.”

While Newnham couldn’t strike behind the unbeaten Packing Hermod, the Australian handler continued his fine start to the season with a double courtesy of Win Speed and Bravehearts on Sunday.

Newnham sits fourth in the trainers’ championship with 11 wins.

“It’s been a very good day – I’m just trying to keep up with Hayesy,” Newnham said after David Hayes jumped to the top of the premiership with a treble on Sunday.

Breaking through at his sixth career start, Win Speed overcame gate 12 thanks to a positive ride from Matthew Chadwick to score by a length and a half in the Class Four You Make Good Possible Handicap (1,400m).

The Vespa four-year-old has clearly returned an improved horse this campaign, storming home for an eye-catching fourth before his maiden triumph.

“He was a nervous horse last season,” Newnham said.

“He used to parade poorly, but today he paraded really well. He’s just matured a bit and he’s probably benefitted from the quieter environment in Conghua.”

Argentinian Group One winner Bravehearts sealed Newnham’s brace on his first start for the stable with a barnstorming display in the Class Three Creative Spirit Handicap (1,600m).

After failing to fire in his first nine Hong Kong starts for Jamie Richards, Bravehearts showed considerable improvement to run on from 11th on the turn to score by a length under Matthew Poon Ming-fai. Fallon and Star Mac shared second in a dead-heat.

“He’s been building to a good performance in his work and his trials,” Newnham said of the Group One Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (2,400m) winner in 2022.

“In his last trial in Conghua, he finished third behind Karma who won earlier in the day, so the form out of the trial’s been good.

“I thought he’d run well, but I thought he might actually need a little bit further. He’s probably taken a while to acclimatise here.”