Copartner Prance continued his impressive form at Happy Valley with a dramatic win in Sunday’s Class Two Guangzhou Handicap (1,200m).

Searching for a sixth consecutive victory at the city circuit, Copartner Prance was prominent throughout from the inside gate and pulled out all the stops under Zac Purton to deny the fast-finishing Lucky Encounter.

There was a lengthy wait before the judge ruled in favour of Francis Lui Kin-wai’s five-year-old, with the champion trainer admitting he initially thought his charge would have to settle for second place.

“No I didn’t [think he got there on the line], but I’m very happy,” Lui said.

“I think the [Happy Valley] track suits him better. The only worry was carrying 135 [pounds], but of course draw one also suited him. He’s an honest horse.”

Copartner Prance collected his first win at Happy Valley off a rating of 53 in March and went from strength to strength, stringing together four consecutive successes at the track.

The son of Epaulette successfully handled a switch to Sha Tin and step up to Class Two level in June before finishing the 2023-24 campaign with his sixth straight win on his return to Happy Valley at the end of the month.

While Copartner Prance was unable to notch another win from his first two outings this season, he relished a return to the Happy Valley 1,200m in Sunday’s finale.

Prevailing off a rating of 97, Copartner Prance could now be thrust into Group company, with Lui suggesting there is a lack of options available to his course specialist.

“It all depends on the programme,” Lui said. “It’s not easy to pick a race for him in the future. He might have to try a Group race at some time.”

The Group Two Jockey Club Sprint (1,200m) at Sha Tin on November 17 could come into Lui’s consideration.

Meanwhile, Purton registered a double thanks to his earlier success on Horsepower, who recorded a promising Hong Kong debut win in the Class Three Zhuhai Handicap (1,000m).

A two-time winner from four starts under the name of Fire Follower in Australia, Horsepower settled in midfield before surging down the centre of the track to lead in the final strides despite showing signs of inexperience.

“When he came to Hong Kong, he was very strong in the mornings and he just needed to relax, that’s why I trialled him four times,” trainer Frankie Lor Fu-chuen said.

“We thought the Happy Valley 1,000m would suit him because it’s a fast pace. At this moment that’s where he can stay as well. He kept hanging in a bit so I was wondering if he could get past, but he managed to do it.

“I hope he can keep improving, but he just needs a bit more time.”

Horsepower stopped the clock in 56.98 seconds to make the perfect start for his new owners, the Jockey Club’s chairman Michael Lee Tze-hau and his wife Vanessa.

“I’m absolutely over the moon,” Michael Lee said. “This was his first race in Hong Kong and he didn’t jump perfectly, he was a bit green, but he had the power to finish the race very well.

“I have high hopes for him.”