HONG KONG DERBY WINNER MASSIVE SOVEREIGN ON TRACK FOR QE II CUP AFTER IMPRESSIVE HAPPY VALLEY TRIAL

Dennis Yip Chor-hong's rising star warms up for Champions Day with a fast-finishing second in a 1,700m heat

Dennis Yip Chor-hong believes there is still improvement to come from Massive Sovereign after the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) hero warmed up for his Champions Day assignment with a strong trial at Happy Valley on Friday.

Set to clash with champion galloper Romantic Warrior in the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) on Sunday week, Massive Sovereign ran on strongly from last to finish a close second to Senor Toba in a 1,700m trial.

The No Nay Never gelding has burst on the scene with two wins from as many starts in Hong Kong, headlined by his fast-finishing Derby victory over Galaxy Patch on March 24.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

Yip said Massive Sovereign was on an upward spiral heading into his exciting clash with Romantic Warrior, Japan's Prognosis and Britain's Dubai Honour in the QE II Cup.

"I'm very happy. I think he's still improving," Yip said after Massive Sovereign's trial.

"This morning after the trial, Zac reported to me that the horse go quite easy. [Purton] didn't ask him to go, but the horse still wanted to go in the straight. It was easy - very easy."

Purton also gave a glowing report on Massive Sovereign, who produced an incredible Hong Kong debut when bolting in by more than three lengths over 2,000m on March 3.

"He did everything right as he always does. Cruised around, enjoyed it and pulled up well," Purton said.

"He's been blowing a little bit in his work, so it was nice that we had the opportunity to trial him this morning.

"[The QE II Cup] is an opportunity to see how he stacks up against those horses. There was nowhere else for him to go so he has to take that step and hopefully he's able to.

"We've got to get him to the race, in the race and see how he measures up.

"On ratings he's a long way off them, but he's only at the start of his career and the other horses have been around for a while."

QE II Cup rival Straight Arron was also in action at the trials, finishing seventh to Storming Dragon over the unsuitable 1,200m.

The Caspar Fownes-trained gelding ran a brave sixth in the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) at Meydan in his latest start on March 30.

"[I] just brought him out on the track with a nice bit of give in it this morning and decided to trial him over 1,200 just to keep him on the fresh side and I was happy with it," Fownes said.

"He closed off nicely. Obviously, it's going to be a little bit tough when they don't have much of a break between runs and travelling back and all that but he's in good form, his coat is very shiny so he presents well that way - you just have to hope he brings it to the races."

Karis Teetan said the addition of blinkers to Little Brose may have backfired when he ran seventh to Packing Power in a 1,200m trial. The Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1,200m) winner will make his Hong Kong debut for David Hayes in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m).

"Today, we tried the blinkers to see how he would react and I think he tried to over-race," Teetan said.

"He's in good shape, but it's a tough ask for him. The Sprint, with Lucky Sweynesse being out, California Spangle is going to be the horse that stands out but among the other Hong Kong horses, it's really open."