Dennis Yip Chor-hong is quietly confident Massive Sovereign will “run a big race” when his stable star hunts a breakthrough win at the top level in Sunday’s Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m).

Massive Sovereign will bid to become only the sixth horse to triumph in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) and Champions & Chater Cup in the same season when he graces the Sha Tin turf in the 12th and final Group One of the campaign.

Yip’s exciting four-year-old will aim to follow in the footsteps of Co-Tack (1983), River Verdon (1991), Makarpura Star (1995), Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and Viva Pataca (2006).

The son of No Nay Never jumps from gate four under Zac Purton and Yip, who searches for a breakthrough Group One win of his own, is confident of a bold showing.

“He’s in very good form and hopefully the rain stays away for him,” Yip said. “If the ground is rated good I think he will show everyone something.

“We are very happy with him. He’s eating well and every day he is working perfectly.”

Massive Sovereign steps up to a mile and a half for the first time in the HK$13 million contest on the back of a disappointing effort in last month’s Group One QE II Cup (2,000m).

After he jumped as the $3.9 second elect on his maiden Group One assignment, the ex-Aidan O’Brien-trained galloper was never in contention and weakened tamely on the rain-softened ground.

Yip’s galloper will look to bounce back when he takes on seven rivals in Sunday’s feature and the veteran handler is under no illusion of the stern challenge ahead.

“I think [Rebel’s Romance] is very strong and his form looks like it will be hard to beat him,” Yip said. “But all the Hong Kong horses, I’m not sure.

“In the Queen Mother [Memorial Cup], [La City Blanche and Five G Patch] both had a very light weight and Sunday is different – it will be a very interesting race.

“We don’t know the ground of course, but I think Massive Sovereign will be able to run a big race and finish very well.”

A two-time winner from five starts in Ireland, Massive Sovereign lit up Sha Tin on his first appearance in Hong Kong with an electric 2,000m win at the beginning of March.

He recorded a stunning Derby victory from the rear of the field three weeks later, providing Purton with his second win in the city’s most prestigious contest.

The six-time champion jockey collected back-to-back Champions & Chater Cups with Exultant in 2019 and 2020 and aims for a third win on Sunday.

The 41-year-old hopes Massive Sovereign can take a step forward but concedes adverse weather may scupper his chances.

“The forecast is a worry, really, and he’s a long way out of it on the handicap and the horse [Rebel’s Romance] that’s come to Hong Kong is a serious horse – if he runs four lengths off his best on ratings, he’s still got the field covered,” Purton said.

“It’s a big challenge. We’re just hoping to get him onto a dry track and assess him a little bit more after last start but the weather doesn’t look like it’s going to play ball, so we’ll have to deal with it.”