Determined to reach the trainer’s benchmark of 14 wins this season to avoid a strike, Jimmy Ting Koon-ho is confident Thunder Blink will handle a sharp rise in class when the unbeaten colt steps out at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Languishing at the bottom of the standings with 12 victories in a disappointing campaign, Ting remains bullish about his prospects of scoring two more wins from the final three meetings to hit the revised figure needed to dodge his first strike.

Thunder Blink has burst on the scene to provide the 51-year-old handler with two victories in Griffin races, but the promising son of Ribchester faces a tougher challenge when rising to Class Three level in The Stevenson Cup (1,400m).

The three-year-old stormed home to upstage hot favourite La Forza in the first Griffin race of the term down the 1,000m straight, before relishing a rise to 1,200m with a barnstorming victory over Santorini last start.

Forced back towards the tail of the field after he was crowded on jumping, Thunder Blink unleashed a scintillating turn of foot in the final 200m to register an impressive win.

Stepping out of restricted races for the first time, he bumps into a field of more seasoned campaigners headlined by last-start winner Sunlight Power.

“The horse is improving and he’s in better form than he was last time, so hopefully he can run well,” Ting said.

“Last time he was in a Griffin race and now he’s in Class Three so it will be a bit more difficult for him. Hopefully he can still improve and handle Class Three.

“I think he can handle this level, but I don’t know if he can this season. Next season he can for sure, he is a better horse than Class Three. Saying that, he’s definitely a winning chance on Saturday.”

Aiding Thunder Blink’s cause is a drop of 12 pounds to carry just 119 after Jerry Chau Chun-lok’s two-pound claim, as well as a solid draw in barrier six.

Ting has six other runners set for the 10-race twilight meeting, with Lo Pan Spirit another of his talented three-year-olds facing a stern test.

A winner at two of his three starts at Class Four level, the son of Charm Spirit also rises to Class Three for the first time and strikes a hot field in The Philip Chen Trophy (1,200m).

Lo Pan Spirit dictated terms from the front to run away a dominant three-and-a-quarter length winner last start, but he will face stiff opposition for the lead from key rival Full Credit while the likes of Eighty Light Years and Ima Single Man are also capable of showing good early speed.

“When he’s won the pace has been quite slow, but in Class Three the pace is much faster,” Ting said.

“There will be two or three horses maybe taking him on so it might be a bit difficult for him this time. Next season I think 1,400m will be better for him.”

Harry Bentley retains the ride on Lo Pan Spirit, who jumps from barrier seven.

Smiling Emperor, Easy Two, Happy Holiday, Coming Patch and Amazing Duck are Ting’s other starters at Sha Tin.

Despite confirming his recent dual winner Glory Elite won’t race again this season, Ting is confident he can bag two more victories.

“I think I can get to 14 and hopefully Saturday can help,” he said.