Bear Hero ready for first-up crack

David Ferraris says Bear Hero is over the setbacks suffered on a disastrous first overseas trip and is confident the crack colt is up to a challenging first-up assignment at Sha Tin.

Bear Hero hasn't raced since a disappointing 21-length last in the Group One Coolmore Stakes in Melbourne in late October and tackles 1,400m for the first time tomorrow.

'His work has been tremendous and I don't think he'll have a problem with the seven furlongs,' Ferraris said. 'He's the type of horse that doesn't pull, he settles beautifully and he'll put his head down and relax.'

Ferraris had the exceptionally-bred sprinter looking superb at Flemington, but the horse lost a plate early in the race and tore a chunk from his off-fore hoof in the process.

The three-year-old will wear glue-on shoes for the immediate future, but the South African trainer said he was happy with the horse's overall condition.

'He enjoyed the Australian environment and it really brought him on,' he said. 'Even though it was an expensive trip for the owners ... he had a nice break out of Hong Kong and I think it has done him good.'

Ferraris said a scintillating 1,050m all-weather track trial under rider Brett Prebble 10 days ago 'proved the horse hasn't lost his spark'.

Bear Hero is entered in the Griffin Trophy, a restricted race for three-year-olds, where he faces the John Size-trained Classic Jewellery, an impressive debut winner over this course and distance three weeks ago.

'We don't know how good John Size's horse is, he might be another Entrapment ... but I know how good mine is and he is well-handicapped,' Ferraris said.