Round Two of the Champion Sprint Series, and Sacred Kingdom should be right back on his pedestal after today's Group One HK$4.5 million Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) showcases the dashing riches of sprinting ranks.
For not only will Sacred Kingdom (Gerald Mosse) and Absolute Champion (Brett Prebble) renew their rivalry, but the race sees the return of the one horse capable at his best of taking the sprint crown ahead of either of them.
At his best is the operative phrase, as Medic Power (Douglas Whyte) returns from a lay-off due to his heart irregularity in November. We have seen horses win this season first-up after the same problem, but Medic Power's past record suggests he is short of his top first-up under any circumstances, so the headline pair may just have his measure today.
For the Ricky Yiu Poon-fie-trained Sacred Kingdom it is the race that should straighten that crown back up on his head after the king of the sprinters was outfoxed by Prebble and narrowly downed by David Hall's sprinter in the Centenary Sprint Cup.
It wasn't pleasant for his legion of fans, who took remarkably short odds about Sacred Kingdom that day, but even they had to admire Prebble's brilliant waiting game on the winner.
After a bump at the start, Sacred Kingdom was back with Absolute Champion early before Mosse did what has been successful in the past - allow Sacred Kingdom to start taking himself up to the leaders from before the halfway mark.