The picture of who lines up in the first leg of the 2025/26 Four-Year-Old Classic Series should come into sharper focus after the Sha Tin meeting on Sunday (11 January).

Up to a dozen talented four-year-olds, who could earn their place in the starter list for the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February, are in action on a potentially decisive weekend.

All eyes will be on the Class 3 (Restricted) Pak Shek Au Handicap (1600m), which shapes as a Hong Kong Classic Mile trial for several runners and a final tune-up for others.

Top-weight in the high-quality four-year-old-only field is Mark Newnham’s in-form gelding Invincible Ibis (135lb), who has won three in a row and has placed in all six career starts to date.

Champion jockey Zac Purton has been aboard for each of those wins but has opted to ride Tony Cruz’s equally impressive Beauty Bolt (134lb) in the contest. Hugh Bowman will deputise on Invincible Ibis, but Purton was gushing about the development of Beauty Bolt, who has already won over a mile this season.

“He’s a lovely horse. He’s got a really good attitude. He just does everything right,” Purton said. “He’s got good speed if you want to use it. He puts himself in a nice spot and has been very consistent.”

Currently rated 82, the Night Of Thunder gelding appears certain of his place in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, and Purton, whose services are in high demand for the Classic Series opener, might favour Cruz’s charge should he win impressively on Sunday.

“He’s trialled well. He’s going good. He’s a bit of a no-nonsense horse; he just gets out there and does the same thing. He seems like he’s in good form, so I expect him to run well again,” Purton added.

Another potential Hong Kong Classic Mile option for this season’s leading rider is Jimmy Ting-trained Little Paradise (122lb), who will be going for back-to-back wins in Sunday’s trophy race, the Class 2 Racing Club Cup Handicap (1400m).

Purton has ridden the son of Toronado to two victories already this term and said he is progressing well.

“He’s another one that has done everything right. He just continues to front up every time,” Purton said. “He’s trialled well and just continues to get that little bit better all the time.”

Purton was non-commital about his Hong Kong Classic Mile mount, but said he will have a better idea of which horse he will partner after Sunday’s racing.

“There’s a little bit to think about, so we’ll get through the weekend, and I’m sure it will work itself out,” he said.

Meanwhile, Voyage Bubble began preparation for a defence of his Triple Crown with a first trial outing since his stirring victory in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in December.

The seven-year-old eased back into action on Friday morning (9 January) in a 1200m barrier trial on the Sha Tin dirt, passed the post sixth and completed in a leisurely 1m 09.59s under Purton.

A Triple Crown clash with 11-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior looks set to be one of the stories of this season after owner Peter Lau decided to campaign his champion eight-year-old domestically this year.

The Triple Crown gets underway with the running of the HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on 25 January.

Sunday’s (11 January) 11-race fixture at Sha Tin starts at 12.30pm with the Class 5 Chek Keng Handicap (1200m).