Chris So Wai-yin hopes a well-judged plan to dodge a John Size juggernaut can come off at Happy Valley on Wednesday night when he brings impressive debut winner Soaring Tower back to the races.

So had hoped to run the four-year-old on Sunday’s Derby day card but it was man of the moment Joao Moreira who alerted him to the fact both Courier Wonder and Fantastic Way were running in the two Class Three 1,200m contests.

With the two three-year-olds going on to win by a combined five lengths on Sunday, So knows he dodged a bullet and he is hoping to make the most of it in Wednesday night’s Class Three Fung Mo Handicap (1,200m), where Moreira will take the reins from barrier eight.

“I wanted to run him on Sunday but when I asked Joao if he could ride, he said ‘cannot’,” So said.

“He said he was riding two for John in those Class Three 1,200m races, so we decided to go to the Valley. As soon as he said that, I knew the two horses he was talking about.

“After seeing his ride to win [the Derby], I hope he can do the same for me now.”

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It was a case of too much, too soon for Soaring Tower according to So who said the international sale graduate was not ready to step up to 1,400m when he tried and failed on New Year’s Day.

“He is still just a baby so I decided to back off him, he just wasn’t ready to go to 1,400m,” So said. “Eventually he will get it no worries, but for now, we will just stick to the 1,200m.”

He was given a 1,000m turf trial by Moreira where he improved gradually to win, giving So confidence he has returned in good order.

“Joao was happy with the trial, he got off and said he went well so that meant he was right to go again,” the trainer said.

Returning from his break, Soaring Tower will face in-form speedsters Stock Legend and Wood On Fire who were impressive last-start winners at the city track.

Stock Legend has won three of his last four starts under Moreira but will this time be ridden by Karis Teetan, who takes the reins for the first time.

So also saddles up the consistent Goodluck Goodluck on the night, who has raced well since returning from a 20-month lay-off due to two tendon injuries.

The six-year-old showed signs of his old form when racing at Happy Valley in December but has not raced since, with So electing to give him a short break.

Returning in Wednesday night’s Class Four Kowloon Tsai Handicap (1,200m), he will be forced to do it the tough way from barrier 10 under regular jockey Derek Leung Ka-chun.

The race also features likely types such as Sprint Forward, Shining On, Superb Daddy and Fire Ball.

It marks a big night for So, who has seven runners across the nine races as he looks to break clear of the logjam of trainers around him in the championship.

Currently on 21 wins, So is surrounded by David Hall (22), Jimmy Ting Koon-ho (20), Tony Millard (19), Ricky Yiu Poon-fai (18) and Douglas Whyte (17).

The 52-year-old broke through with the heavily backed Bella Baby on Sunday after some sage advice from jockey Alexis Badel.

So revealed the Frenchman urged him to try the six-year-old over the 1,200m trip and it paid dividends when he overhauled his more fancied rivals in Packing Award and Summit Cheers.