Trainer Richard Gibson's impressive first-season result has him going into Saturday's season opener with the attitude and ammunition to back it up with another big year, including one of the most expensive Private Purchases in Hong Kong history.
Gibson politely declined to make any comment on speculation about what he paid for Irish Derby fourth placegetter Akeed Mofeed, on behalf of owner Pan Sutong, but the admittedly dubious source of the local rumour mill has the Derby hopeful's price tag hovering somewhere around either side of US$2 million.
Whether his actual price makes him the most expensive import ever or just another serious purchase, he will still carry some lofty expectations whenever he does step out.
"He's a horse I have liked and followed for a long time - you'd probably say he was the winter favourite for the Epsom Derby," Gibson observed. "He didn't run in that but he came off a long lay-off for a decent effort in the Irish Derby behind Camelot on heavy ground and then he came out and won a black type race very easily after that.
"It's true he took a lot of buying, because he's a very good horse, but he has the right sire, Dubawi, he's the right horse physically and I think he's every chance to succeed at the very highest level here."
Gibson has also bought another lightly raced Private Purchase for Pan Sutong, a horse who raced as Strada Colorata in Ireland with a win and second from two starts at three. "He's a nice horse with good upside, too," Gibson said.
"I do think I've bought better than last year, now that I have a stronger opinion on what I need. I'm thrilled about the new stock coming in but at this stage I haven't finished my shopping - we are still working hard on that every day."
Only Ivan Allan and John Size turned up as expatriate trainers with more wins in their freshman year than Gibson's 35, and the Englishman hopes that he will fare even better the second time around. "I'm much more relaxed this year than last and I'm very satisfied with the preparation that the horses have had in August," he said. "Having had a season, I know what's ahead and I think I have a better feel for what's required to win races.
"Looking at my string, I have a lot which will be up and running early, which is good, and that will leave us plenty of time to get the youngsters settled down and they'll come in later, probably around Christmas time. New horses are obviously the key and I've tried to get a blend of some nice Australian trial horses and some nice Europeans as well."
But while Gibson is confident about his task, he does admit to expecting a "different style of season" after only 18 horses contributed to his victory tally in 2011-12, with just five horses contributing more than half of his final score.
"I don't think we'll have the horses to win four and five races, like Super Caga and Easy Gold did last year," he says. "I look at my string now and I feel I'll be able to win races with more different horses this time.
"Excited and optimistic is how I'm feeling."
