Golden Sixty is set for his first gallop since Christmas Day as he takes one step closer to his swansong in next month’s Group One Champions Mile, while his partner in crime Vincent Ho Chak-yiu faces another month on the sidelines.

The city’s most successful galloper will be put through his paces at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning as preparations for his farewell to racing on April 28 ramp up a notch.

After his dazzling display in December’s Group One Hong Kong Mile, Golden Sixty was forced to miss January’s Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) after suffering a left fore leg injury at the turn of the year.

The eight-year-old will be aiming to notch a staggering 27th win from 31 starts on Champions Day and his regular partner, Ho, is attempting to be back in time to hop aboard the superstar on race day one last time.

Ho has been sidelined since falling from Romantic Charm at Sha Tin at the end of January and will jet off to Geneva this week to see a specialist about his injured neck and finger.

The 33-year-old will carry out his rehabilitation in the same hospital he visited after he fell in Japan last July, which left him with a fractured vertebra, concussion and a broken rib.

Shinn Sky high at Sha Tin

Sunday was his first day in the saddle at Sha Tin in almost year and Blake Shinn headed off to dinner with Caspar Fownes and family after the races feeling pretty good about himself after a “special” win aboard Sky Heart.

Victorious aboard Sky Field in the 2021 Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), Shinn was delighted to again join forces with Fownes and owners the Kwan family with the promising Sky Heart in the first section of the Class Four Essex Handicap (1,200m).

“Very special, actually. Caspar was wonderful to my career when I was based full time in Hong Kong for three years,” Shinn said. “Still to have that association and for him to ask me to come over here today – he’s thrown me a great book of rides – is wonderful.

“To win in these colours is obviously very sentimental, obviously going back to Sky Field. It’s really fitting that I could come here today and get a result for Caspar and his owners.”

All six of Shinn’s Sunday rides came for Fownes, including a Classic Cup 11th aboard Elliptical, and the veteran trainer was pleased to have the star Australian jockey back in town for a day.

“He’s riding really well. I’ve been watching him in Aussie – he’s the gun now,” Fownes said after Shinn produced a peach from barrier 13 aboard Sky Heart. “I only ran the horse because Blake is here.”

Bentley continues Ascendency

Harry Bentley continues to churn out winners at a consistent rate, with the British jockey booting home a double on Mr Ascendency and Prawns Eleven at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Bentley reached 20 wins for the season and has been a consistent figure in the winner’s enclosure with six victories from his past four meetings.

“Great to get a double. I’m really pleased with how things are going at the moment,” Bentley said.

“The momentum is up and to be able to capitalise is really good – hopefully there’s more to come.”

Bentley capitalised on barrier one and an inside rails run in the straight to lift Mr Ascendency to a narrow win in the Class Two Kent Handicap (1,600m) on the all-weather track.

It was the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained gelding’s second consecutive win after Bentley guided him to victory in the Class One Shan Kwong Handicap (1,650m) at Happy Valley last month.

“Mr Ascendency is a really nice, genuine horse and an easy ride, really,” Bentley said. “He just makes it very straight forward with the way he relaxes.

“The pace was quite sedate and they started picking it up a way out, which suits his running style, and we got a run up the inside and were able to keep things smooth. He’s on an upward trajectory and very honest.”

Prawns Eleven caused a major upset in the Class Three Kowloon Tong Club Trophy (1,200m) at $42.

The Super Easy gelding ran seventh and 11th in his first two Hong Kong starts, but Mark Newnham got the best out of him on Sunday after removing the blinkers and adding a tongue tie.

“A nice surprise, really,” Bentley said after Prawns Eleven cruised to a one-and-a-half-length win over Toronado Phantom. “I wasn’t expecting him to be winning, but I thought he was a horse who was definitely better than his form suggested.

Helios Express on track for series sweep after last-gasp Classic Cup win

“The way he took me into the race was great, he travelled extremely well and when the gaps came, it was just a matter of waiting a little bit before pressing the button and going for home.

“When I asked him, he picked up nicely and hopefully he’s going to improve from this and there definitely should be more to come.”

Prawns Eleven recorded his first three career wins in succession in Western Australia in 2022.