The pace is some query in the HK$8 million Stewards' Cup (1,600m) at Sha Tin and Ambitious Dragon can get himself into difficulty by being slowly away, but none of that will stop the reigning Horse of the Year from winning a fourth Group One and retaking his reputation as one of Hong Kong's greats if he turns up today.
The Tony Millard-trained five-year-old let his supporters down badly as a short-priced in the Hong Kong Cup last start, make no mistake about that.
Some will say the terribly slow tempo was not in Ambitious Dragon's favour, but today's rival Irian came from behind him to beat him home and even Irian's biggest fans would concede he is not in the same category as Millard's gelding.
Jockey Douglas Whyte said he came to win the race with ease, then Ambitious Dragon emptied out at a rate that said he simply wasn't himself on the big day, for whatever reason.
Since then, he has been freshened up, trialled nicely at Sha Tin and given all the indications that we can expect the best of Ambitious Dragon.
The best of him includes last year's Derby and QE II Cup and, more recently, the National Day Cup in October, when a fresh Ambitious Dragon under 133 pounds thrashed a quality field that included many of the runners that he meets now at level terms.
And if that is the Ambitious Dragon that turns up, then start engraving the trophy because only bad luck will beat that particular horse. That Ambitious Dragon has a world-class turn of foot that takes him from anywhere to first in a few strides and the physique to get himself out of whatever trouble might be coming his way during a race.