Lucky Sweynesse’s racing future hangs in the balance after Manfred Man Ka-leung confirmed “it’s still too early to say” whether his stable star will make a full recovery from his recent injury.

The four-time Group One winner suffered a fracture to his left fore cannon bone en route to victory in April’s Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) and was ruled out for the rest of the season the morning after.

Man was hopeful Lucky Sweynesse would be back fighting fit for next season after he underwent surgery in April, but the veteran says his speedster isn’t definitely out of the woods two months down the line.

“It’s still too early to say if he’ll be OK,” Man said. “We’ve started to put the boys on and we’re walking him. He’s at Sha Tin at the moment.”

Lucky Sweynesse bounced back from a pair of defeats at the top level with a half-length triumph over subsequent Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) victor Invincible Sage in the Sprint Cup.

The five-year-old is now the only galloper in Man’s yard to hold a rating in triple figures after the quietly spoken trainer recently lost Group Three winner Encountered to David Hall.

A five-time winner from 12 starts last term, Encountered broke through at Group Three level in November’s Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1,800m) under Derek Leung Ka-chun.

Encountered’s absence from Man’s yard is especially significant considering he played a crucial part in the Jockey Club’s decision to extend the handler’s license until the end of the 2028-29 season.

Man satisfied the criteria set out by the Jockey Club for extending licenses in December as he achieved Group wins – one of which had to be at Group One level – with multiple horses across the past three seasons.

Lucky Sweynesse, who won all of Man’s Group Ones in the qualifying period, and Encountered, who enjoyed his Group Three success in November, ensured the handler was safe to train until July 2029.

With Encountered changing stables and Lucky Sweynesse’s racing career remaining uncertain, there is a distinct possibility the two horses that allowed Man’s career to continue may not be under his care by the start of next season.

But before he turns his attention to the next campaign, Man will aim to boost his tally of 28 wins this term when he saddles two of his highest-rated gallopers, We Are Hero and Chiu Chow Spirit, at Sha Tin on Monday.

While We Are Hero began his season off a rating of 94, the six-year-old jumps from barrier 11 in the Class Three CMA 90th Anniversary Cup (1,000m) off a mark 15 points lower.

The son of Headwater hit the line with conviction to finish fourth over this course and distance last time out and Man is confident of another bold showing.

“It’s difficult to know if he can win,” Man said. “He ran well last time and he will run well again.”

Chiu Chow Spirit has been running with plenty of credit in Class Three company and takes his first step up to Class Two level in the Hong Kong Reunification Cup (1,400m). He will have to defy the widest barrier of all in the nine-runner field under Alexis Badel.