Today's Sha Tin meeting will give punters their first real look at the revitalised John Size yard, which endured its worst season in 2006-07 and is widely tipped to bounce straight back.
Size has only been in Hong Kong six years and has been champion trainer four times, as well as runner-up to Tony Cruz when the local star set a record of 91 winners in 2004-05. So anyone dabbling in consistency theories will have Size at a very short price to correct his last-term slump when the yard led in just 32 winners.
Size will saddle up eight runners at the first meeting of the new season, and premier jockey Douglas Whyte has pinned his colours to the mast early by sticking with five of them.
Of special interest will be debutants Rain Check (race three) and Dao Dao (race nine). Each of this pair has impressed in their work, and also in their barrier trials.
Dao Dao, formerly prepared by John Hawkes in Sydney, won two of his three starts and his only defeat was a second behind Sniper's Bullet, who ended the season winning the Group One Stradbroke Handicap.
The other big interest will be the debut performances of the three 'new' jockeys in Glen Boss (pictured), Kevin Shea and Zac Purton.
