He finished in the top two in every leg of this year’s Classic Series aboard California Spangle and Zac Purton is hoping a galloper who followed him across the line on all three occasions will be a horse worth sticking with this season.

Purton partners The Irishman in Sunday’s Class Two Swan Handicap (1,400m) and hopes the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained five-year-old can go to another level in his second Hong Kong campaign.

“Sometimes with the four-year-olds, they weren’t quite up to it at the time, they hadn’t quite acclimatised, they were running nice races but always running third, fourth, fifth, but then they have that break, and they seem to develop more than the horses who were finishing in front of them,” Purton said.

“It’s happened to me before – Beauty Generation was in that category, so were Exultant and Military Attack. I’m not saying he’s in the league of those horses, but that’s what can happen.”

The Irishman won once in New Zealand and once in Australia from six starts pre-import before running a flashing second on his Hong Kong debut as a $33 chance.

He then finished third in a Class Two contest before his third in the Classic Mile, sixth in the Classic Cup and fifth in the Hong Kong Derby.

The son of Tavistock has not been seen at the races since March’s Derby, but he won a recent 1,000m turf trial, and Purton is confident he can again show something first up.

“He’s going to improve with racing. He’s had quite a while off, but he’s run well fresh before, so I’m expecting him to run a good race,” he said.

“Hopefully, from the inside draw, if things fall into place, he’s a chance. I’m waiting to see what sort of performance he can produce and then be guided as to where he’s going to go after that.”

Purton, who admits his ongoing injuries are “still a bit of a battle”, also partners Campione at Sha Tin, climbing aboard the Tony Cruz-trained three-year-old in the Class One Egret Handicap (1,200m) on the all-weather track.

A Group Three winner in Italy, Campione won three of his six starts in his maiden Hong Kong season – including two on the dirt – and placed second to Lucky Sweynesse on his seasonal reappearance on the turf four weeks ago after stalking a strong early speed.

“He should run well, as long as that run hasn’t flattened him. They did go out really quick, and it was his first run for the season, but I thought he battled on really well,” Purton said of Campione, who has drawn gate six of seven.

“He likes the surface, but sometimes in these small fields it’s a bit tricky because everyone decides to ride a different race to what they would normally ride.

“When you’re drawn on the outside it becomes a bit more of a task, but hopefully, he can get it done.”

Purton has a full book of rides on Sunday as he looks to add to his championship-leading 14 winners.