Given the heartache he has caused punters in the past three seasons, it is easy to forget Zezao was once a promising import kicking off his career in Class Three, a grade he is rapidly re-approaching under the astute guidance of rookie trainer Richard Gibson.
It has been well-documented how Gibson has taken the six-year-old from problem child to poster child and exhibit A of the Englishman's ability to transform underperformed Class Four and Five gallopers into multiple-winners.
He has managed the feat with Easy Gold, Super Caga and Great Renown, but there has been no better advertisement of his skills than the rehabilitation of Zezao, and the horse might not have found his ceiling yet.
Zezao chases his third straight victory and can overcome a wide draw in a Class Four (1,400m), which acts as the final leg of a tough Triple Trio and carries a HK$1.8 million jackpot.
After an educational effort coming off the speed in a 1,000m straight race, Zezao knocked over a Class Five with ease, before heading into a Class Four where he showed off his new-found race sense.
With Jeff Lloyd in the saddle, Zezao was asked to make a tactical move early in the race, speeding along the rails to be closer to the leaders. The old Zezao would have overraced and not come back to Lloyd, but the gelding settled again and then finished off with aplomb.