As Pierre Ng Pang-chi’s lead in the trainers’ championship continues to narrow, the 40-year-old handler hopes the decision to call upon seven-pound claimer Ellis Wong Chi-wang can pay dividends in Sunday’s Class One Racing Heritage Handicap (1,400m).

Ng holds a three-win lead over Francis Lui Kin-wai with 16 meetings left in the season and believes Wong’s allowance will give Group Three winner Taj Dragon the best possible chance of success in this weekend’s feature.

Ng calls upon Wong on the back of a successful period for the 23-year-old rider, with seven wins to his name from the past nine meetings.

“Taj Dragon won a Group Three and now we’re back in Class One,” Ng said. “Ellis Wong is on him so he’ll carry a lighter weight. I think he has a good chance in this class with the weight off his back.”

Taj Dragon began this season in Class Three company and has kept improving, boasting a current rating of 108.

After taking out two of his first four outings this term, the son of Mehmas defied expectations on New Year’s Day to triumph in the Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) from 20 pounds out of the handicap.

While he has failed to land a blow in Group One and Two company since, Taj Dragon has not been disgraced among the city’s best horses and finished a respectable sixth behind Beauty Eternal in the Group One Champions Mile last time out.

The five-year-old reverts to Class One company on Sunday and Ng hopes his galloper can produce a bold showing before his next big assignment in the Group Three Lion Rocky Trophy (1,600m) on June 2.

“It will almost be like a trial for him and we’ll tune him up for the Group Three coming up in early June,” Ng said. “Hopefully he can get up some prize money again.”

The second-season handler saddles eight runners on the 10-race programme and among his winning chances is Yoda’s Choice, who contests the Class Four Racing Passion Handicap (1,200m).

The three-year-old son of Good Journey is winless from five outings and jumps from barrier eight on his return to 1,200m.

“He was kind of disappointing last time and [Vincent Ho Chak-yiu] said he needs further,” Ng said. “This time, over 1,200m, I think he’ll get a handy spot and hopefully can give us a little bit more.”

Captain Win also represents the Ng stable, which has been at the summit of the title race since the beginning of November, in the Class Three Levade Handicap (1,200m).

While the speedster only has one win to his name from 30 starts in Hong Kong, he has proved to be a consistent customer at this level, placing on three of his past four appearances.

“He’s been very frustrating but hopefully the track plays out right and he can chase,” Ng said. “You know he can give you a very good final sectional but hopefully he can finally hit the front on Sunday.”

Great Days, Super Bonus, Winning Steps, Hoss and Aeroinvincible complete the trainer’s weekend team.