Luck goes in cycles and while things may not have fallen neatly into place for Geoff Lane (right) early in the season, winners have been a little more common of late.
And yesterday's trial session on the all-weather track at Sha Tin suggested even better days are in store for the stable.
Lane's useful Class Four galloper No Competitor took the second trial in handy style from Lynx and Rising Glory and such was the ease of his win, it would be no surprise to see the gelding adding to his win two starts back when he beat Destination and Heading To Win at Sha Tin.
He didn't have the best of luck at Happy Valley last time out when second to the highly promising My Specialist and he looks to have maintained his form.
No Competitor had been a little disappointing last season but the five-year-old has improved with maturity and is a much stronger individual this term.
While his performance would have pleased Lane, there is no doubt the Australian would have already had a spring in his step after watching two of his younger brigade, Perfect Fun and Vigoroso, perform stylishly in the opening heat.