The standout race to follow in the bread and butter zone of racing from Sunday's Sha Tin meeting was the Class Four 1,200m event, won by Popping Candy.
The first of Jack Wong Ho-nam's brace, he was too strong for Divine Boy with Happy Agility a decent margin back third after not having the ideal trip and another good margin to Energetic Class, who will be competitive in something longer.
Notably, first and second had already raced this season and had a fitness edge, but the times compared very favourably with Blizzard's Class Three later, the spread of margins was encouraging and this was an above average Class Four.
Popping Candy battled last term in his first prep in Class Three, but now looks back to the level of his overseas form, and this time he should be winning in Class Three.
Likewise Divine Boy, as an inexperienced three-year-old, always trailed behind both the rating and reputation he brought from Australia, but he is going to pay his bills as a more mature horse.
All three place-getters should prove competitive in Class Three.
The most deserving horse won the feature and Beauty Only has a good season ahead, but punters who took the bizarre short odds Giant Treasure might have to ignore their painful pockets and go again when the grey returns.
Beauty Only left his rivals without excuse, covering ground into the breeze around the circle and still unleashing the best finishing burst of the day.
He was and is the best horse in that race and a legitimate Group player although, alas, that means bumping into Able Friend at some stage.
If you fancied Giant Treasure - obviously somebody did - he had not raced since April, which was a couple of months longer away than the winner or any other runner, and probably wanted everything just right to produce his best.
In a busy, messy mid-race section, Douglas Whyte didn't get the luxury of a jump-and-park trip, but was forced to surge midrace to get a better position.
That probably left the grey vulnerable after such a break and we might see a better version of him next time.
