California Spangle looked like the next big thing when flooring Golden Sixty in the 2022 Hong Kong Mile (G1), but needed a cutback in trip to hit the heights again.

Trainer Richard Gibson’s confidence in Wellington proved well founded in Sunday’s Hong Kong Sprint (G1), as the divisional champion reasserted himself at Sha Tin.

Sunday’s Hong Kong Sprint (G1) serves up a rubber match between the establishment, epitomized by Wellington, and the upwardly mobile Lucky Sweynesse.