Fresh from celebrating a big career milestone, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu has high hopes Steps Ahead can enhance his Classic Mile credentials when he chases a third straight win at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Hong Kong’s leading home-grown rider became the 11th jockey to register 600 wins in the city when he guided Healthy Healthy to victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Turning his attention to the final Sha Tin meeting before the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), Ho teams up again with Francis Lui Kin-wai’s classy four-year-old Steps Ahead in the Class Three Salisbury Handicap (1,400m).

The Written By gelding finished last season with a dominant breakthrough triumph in July and returned in style with a narrow success on November 3.

Capitalising on a soft run in fourth position, Steps Ahead proved too strong late for the fast-finishing Armour War Eagle to win the Class Three event over 1,400m.

“Lovely win from him,” Ho said. “He’s a very nice horse – still a little bit immature in the morning, so hopefully he can improve.”

In what shapes as one of the most anticipated races on the 10-event card on Sunday, Steps Ahead clashes with two other four-year-olds who could be bound for January’s Classic Mile.

The David Hall-trained Geneva rises to Class Three for the first time in his bid for a hat-trick, having finally delivered on his promise with back-to-back Class Four victories over six furlongs.

My Wish also lines up for trainer Mark Newnham off the back of a tough last-start victory over Sky Trust, who boosted the form by winning his following start last Sunday.

Steps Ahead has been handed an advantage at the barrier draw after coming up with a plum gate in four, while Geneva and My Wish have copped barriers 11 and 13, respectively.

“He trialled very well – [I’m] happy with him,” Ho said of Steps Ahead’s recent dirt trial when he was under a tight hold.

“He’s got a good draw and he should be running well.”

Ho also has strong claims in the feature on Sunday’s card, the Class Two Peninsula Golden Jubilee Challenge Cup (1,200m) on dirt, when he rides Capital Delight.

The Caspar Fownes-trained gelding scored his third win on the all-weather course with a barnstorming performance last month, before finishing seventh behind Chill Chibi at Happy Valley last start.

“[He’s] back to his winning distance, so hopefully he will run well again. Last time he was a little bit disappointing, but we’ll see how he goes,” Ho said.

Sing Dragon (three wins) and Bundle Of Charm (two) are Capital Delight’s only rivals on Sunday to have previously won on the dirt. Majestic Knight, Tomodachi Kokoroe, Raging Blizzard, Call Me Glorious, Superb Boy, Supreme Lucky and Full Credit will race on the all-weather surface for the first time.