Steering away from many of the most obvious contenders for our 10 horses to follow offers a mixed bag- some may be headed for stardom and others simply a chance to surprise a few by winning their two or three races for the season. In no particular order: 1. FAY FAY (L284) Trainer John Size. Rating 67. Made this list last season, but niggling problems kept him to just the one start when second to Smart Giant in July. His problems were not of the career-threatening kind, so he still rates as very promising off this mark if Size can get him to the track more often. 2. SMART GIANT (L405) Trainer John Moore. Rating 82. Not the punters' friend early last season when beaten at cramped odds in his first three runs, including running off the track at odds-on. Got his act together thereafter, winning three of his last four and looks a genuine Derby proposition. From classic winning New Zealand family, he is by Ambitious Dragon's sire, Pins, and out of an O'Reilly mare. 3. EAGLE REGIMENT (M011) Trainer Manfred Man Ka-leung. Rating 89. Already made a rating rise from 52 to 89 as a three year-old with three wins and three seconds from six runs but don't be put off, this gelding still had some improvement to make mentally and has scope to be a Group One galloper if he maintains his progress at four. 4. LONGWAH KID (L412) Trainer Caspar Fownes. Rating 50. Came last year on a 66 rating after winning his only run in Australia, but a combination of bad draws and some moderate rides saw his rating plunge until a switch of stables in June. He ran second at his only run for Fownes but only has to hold that form to win his way back up a grade and pay his way in Class Three. He looks great value off a mark of 50. 5. BEST CITY (M290) Trainer Caspar Fownes. Rating 66. Ran three times in New Zealand, producing a stunning maiden win from last at Tauranga, before raced well but hampered by outside draws in his only two local efforts in May-June. Has plenty of upside as a four-year-old off this mark in the bottom half of Class Three. 6. NICHOLSON (L222) Trainer David Hall. Rating 44. Only produced four times as a three-year-old, all over unsuitably short trips and caught the eye more than once. Nice type who is bred to get over some ground, and sure to be better for his summer break so expect him to make an impression as he steps up in trip. 7. SUPREME JEWELLERY (M296) Trainer John Size. Rating 65. Looked headed for Class Two with a minimum of fuss after a strong debut win up the straight then let supporters down at odds-on second-up over 1,200m, when he did some work in the run and may have been flattened by his first effort. Should be suited at 1,400m. 8. SCARLET CAMELLIA (M141) Trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing. Rating 62. It wasn't so much what Scarlet Camellia beat in his 1,200m debut last March that made people sit up and take notice - it was the way he did it. Inexperienced and looking it, he stood the leaders five lengths at the 300m and produced a monster finish. Better for more time and the experience and looks a nice prospect. 9. SUPREME WINNER (M014) Trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai. Rating 66. Has set up a similar, even slightly superior, profile to last season's Derby winner, Ambitious Dragon, when he was trained by Lui as a three-year-old. It is asking too much for him to emulate that gelding's subsequent career, and he starts the season much higher than Ambitious Dragon did in 2010, but Supreme Winner should be winning his way high into Class Two. 10. SONOFTHEWEST (L063) Trainer Andreas Schutz. Rating 30. A wild-card Class Fiver to follow, a late-maturer who showed some ability in trials in Australia before struggling for much of his race career. Turned it around and became quite solid at the end of his four-year-old season and wouldn't surprise to see him win his way out of the cellar and pay his way in Class Four around the Valley.
