Jamie Richards is more than happy to test Celestial Colours with a big weight against another impressive last-start winner when the promising galloper backs up at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Bouncing back from an unexplainable flop when running second last as the $3.50 favourite in January, Celestial Colours broke through for his first Hong Kong victory with a stylish one-and-a-quarter-length win at the city circuit last week.

It was a return to the form the Zoustar gelding showed in his first three Hong Kong starts, which included a second to Copartner Ambition at Happy Valley.

Celestial Colours rises two pounds to carry 135 pounds in the second section of the Class Three Cheung Chau Handicap (1,200m), with the field of eight also headlined by John Size’s outstanding last-start winner, Beauty Infinity.

“The two divisions of the Class Three 1,200m were appealing because it was only a small field last week and it’s a small field this week,” Richards said.

“We just thought he’d get a bit of confidence out of that win and why not go back and try again when it’s a smallish field?

“The horse is in good form. He’s got to carry the weight now obviously and if he can handle the quick turnaround, he should run well again.”

A three-time winner in Australia when known as Ringmaster, Celestial Colours has scope for improvement beyond this season, according to Richards.

“Even next year, he’ll be better again. The private purchases take a little while to acclimatise but he’s getting stronger and he’s got his confidence up now, which I think is important for the horse,” Richards said.

With last week’s winning rider Hugh Bowman out for the next three meetings through suspension, Celestial Colours will be ridden by Luke Ferraris on Wednesday night.

Kimberley will also chase back-to-back wins for Richards when he runs in the Class Three Peng Chau Handicap (1,800m).

A dual Group One winner in Brazil when known as Ladario, Kimberley scored his first Hong Kong win at start 12 in the city when he stormed home to win over 2,000m at Sha Tin last month.

“He’s got to take the step back up to Class Three,” Richards said. “He goes up in grade but down in weight. I like the way he won last time, he showed a bit of tenacity and a bit of fight.

“He’s a horse that’s taken a while to acclimatise, but he’s getting there now. If he gets the right run he’s a chance, but he has to go back up into that grade and show that he can do it.”

Kimberley drops 15 pounds to an impost of just 116 and will be ridden by Antoine Hamelin, who looks set to ride one pound over.

Seasons Wit will represent Richards in Wednesday night’s strongest race, the Class Two Soko Islands Handicap (1,200m), but the New Zealander believes his charge will be tested at six furlongs.

“He’s a real 1,000m specialist and unfortunately there’s not really a great deal of suitable races for him,” Richards said of the four-time 1,000m winner.

“He is just a little bit of a query of running a strong 1,200m. He’s pretty effective over 1,200m on the dirt, but there’s a nice 1,000m race coming up in April for him.”

Seasons Wit clashes with the likes of Tomodachi Kokoroe and Copartner Ambition, the equal winners of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge, Benno Yung Tin-pang’s consistent performer Gummy Gummy and last-start winner Bon’s A Pearla.

August Moon, Manythanks Forever, Ernest Feeling and Ma Comet are Richards’ other Happy Valley starters.