He was listed as lame after running seventh in last weekend’s Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m), but Douglas Whyte has confirmed Russian Emperor is fighting fit and on track to chase his third straight win in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) later this month.

Hugh Bowman was in the saddle on the weekend and will stick with the seven-year-old son of Galileo after spearing him to a famous victory over Romantic Warrior in last year’s Champions & Chater Cup.

“He trotted up fine the next morning and the vets checked him and he’s all good,” Whyte said.

“I’ll be galloping him on the grass on Tuesday, he’ll do his [official veterinary examination] and he’ll be heading to the Champions & Chater. It’s all systems go.”

In what could be the final race of his glittering career, Russian Emperor will look to become the first horse since River Verdon in the 1990s to win the Champions & Chater Cup three times in a row.

A top-three finish would see Russian Emperor’s prize money tick past HK$50 million in a career that has also features wins in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m) and the H.H. The Amir Trophy (2,400m) in Qatar.

“It depends how he runs and how he is afterwards, but it’s looking like his last season. He’s done a good job and another win would be a superstar way to go out,” said Whyte.

Winless since his 2023 Champions & Chater Cup success, Russian Emperor made some ground from the back of the field in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup but still finished nine and a half lengths off winner La City Blanche.

“You look at his performances last season, he’s had the same preparation, he finished in pretty much the same position last year except he carried more weight this year and he’ll be fit in three weeks,” Whyte said.

Before turning his attention to the final Group One of the Hong Kong season, Whyte will look to add to his 34 winners for the campaign and consolidate his top-10 position in the trainers’ premiership.

Flaming Rabbit headlines the South African’s five-strong hand at Sha Tin this Saturday, with the in-form son of Time Test stepping back to a mile for the Class Two Hong Kong China Rugby Cup.

Victorious at the course and distance when leading throughout two starts ago, Flaming Rabbit sat off leader All For St Paul’s over 1,800m last start before crossing the line in third.

“He’s fit and he’ll enjoy the mile – it’s what he wants. I stretched him last time because of races and space and those sort of things, but he’s a dead-set miler,” said Whyte, who enjoyed a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Flaming Rabbit may not get it all his own way this weekend, with the likes of Chancheng Glory and Bourbonaire also lining up, but Whyte isn’t the least bit worried.

“It doesn’t matter. He can sit behind one as long he doesn’t break his momentum. It’s not a big concern,” said the trainer.

Hong Kong debutant Fast Responder, who saluted at Group Three level at Newmarket pre-import, Strathpeffer, Not A Few and General Winner round out Whyte’s Sha Tin hand.