Manfred Man Ka-leung remains unsure when Lucky Sweynesse will return to the races after the four-time Group One winner trailed the field home in a 1,000m turf trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning.

Not seen at the races since fracturing his cannon bone when winning April’s Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m), Lucky Sweynesse has been building up his work since September before making his long-awaited return to the trials.

Given an easy time of things at the back by James McDonald, Lucky Sweynesse finished a clear last but trainer Man seemed happy enough with the hit-out, suggesting all was well with his charge.

“Everything’s fine,” said the 67-year-old handler.

He wouldn’t, however, be drawn on whether the six-year-old could make his return to the races in the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) on January 19 – a race the gun sprinter snared in 2023.

McDonald was significantly more expansive in his assessment of Lucky Sweynesse’s trial.

“It was pretty quiet but he looks great and feels really good,” said McDonald.

“He had a tendency to lay in when I last rode him but he didn’t do anything up the straight there this morning, so he’s feeling really good in his action.”

McDonald won last year’s Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) aboard Lucky Sweynesse and could have a choice to make between his old partner in crime and his Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) fifth placegetter Howdeepisyourlove if they both run in the Centenary Sprint Cup.

Should the 132-rated Lucky Sweynesse not make the Centenary Sprint Cup, Man’s options for a first-up run will be somewhat limited and he may need to be patient and wait until his galloper’s Sprint Cup defence on March 30, unless he pitches him straight into the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup on February 23.

Miles ahead of Lucky Sweynesse in Tuesday morning’s heat was the Cody Mo Wai-kit-trained Magic Control, who streaked to a nine-length victory ahead of his run in the Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1,000m) on January 1.

“He trialled nicely, it was good to see him relax,” Mo said of his stable star.

A Group Three winner in Australia, Magic Control had to settle for second behind Beauty Waves in October’s Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) but the speedy four-year-old has since knocked off the impressive Wunderbar down the Sha Tin straight and he shapes as a force to be reckoned with in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy.