Sold for just A$10,000 (HK$51,000) in an online sale by an Australian owner who rarely breeds gallopers, Helios Express can complete a stunning transformation from unwanted yearling to BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) hero on Sunday.

After brilliant wins in the Classic Mile and Classic Cup (1,800m), John Size’s exciting charge is on the verge of becoming only the third galloper to clean sweep the four-year-old series.

The incredible backstory of the rising star of Hong Kong racing started with Chris Wells, a successful owner in Australia with the likes of Group One winners Scales Of Justice and Tuvalu.

His mare Paris Texas showed promise with three wins in Western Australia, but her racing career was cut short by injury in 2018.

“I used to race her in Perth and she was a pretty good horse,” Wells said. “One day we started her at Northam, I remember, and coming around the bend the jockey just gave her one [strike] with the whip and she took off won easily.

“I thought ‘that’s not a fluke’, but she had knee problems so we never really saw the best of her. I thought rather than just give her away, I’ll breed from her.

“I loved Toronado [as a sire], he was only cheap at the time so I went there.”

Small in stature as a youngster, Helios Express was sold unreserved as a yearling in the Inglis Digital Sale in August 2020.

He had one start in Australia when known as Tex Mex, scoring a dominant maiden win at Benalla for Victorian trainer Jamie Edwards before he was sold to Hong Kong.

Wells has no regrets selling Helios Express and has followed the gelding’s impressive Hong Kong career closely.

While Paris Texas unfortunately died giving birth to a full relation in 2021, Wells still has a vested interest in Helios Express with his full sister, Isolation Ridge, who is close to starting her racing career with Lindsey Smith in Victoria.

“At the time [of selling Helios Express], I thought ‘I’ve got the full sister and [Paris Texas] is pregnant with another one’,” Wells said.

“It is what it is. He was sold to Hong Kong and away he’s gone. I’ve been cheering him on.

“The full sister is a much bigger horse than Helios Express. She’s got some ability. We’ll see how she goes.”

After the success of Helios Express, bloodstock agents have expressed interest in Isolation Ridge, but Wells is likely to retain the three-year-old filly.

A stockbroker by trade, Wells is an astute judge when it comes to thoroughbreds, often picking out gallopers at yearling sales himself.

He is a believer in letting horses that have a tendency to pull hard and over-race run freely in front or on the pace.

With that in mind, he has an interesting take on Helios Express, who has struggled to settle in slowly run races leading up to the Derby.

“He pulled hard the other day, didn’t he?,” Wells said. “It will be interesting what they do. I’d lead on him if I was them.

“I’m just guessing, but meeting those other horses at level weights, I think he would just get away with it if he led, wouldn’t he? He’s a good trainer [Size], I’m sure he’ll sort it out.

“You would think 1,400m to a mile would be his best distance, but the Derby distance is only 2,000m. I don’t think that will be a problem. The horse has done very well up there.”

Helios Express can join Rapper Dragon (2017) and Golden Sixty (2020) as the only gallopers to win all three features in the four-year-old series.

A minor setback last week threatened to unravel his bid for history, after a mild foot infection associated with a previous hoof wall quarter crack was discovered.

But while he missed two days of work, he was given the all-clear on Tuesday when examined by the Jockey Club’s veterinary officer. He will undergo a routine official pre-race examination on Saturday morning.