Last-start winners are few and far between at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, however Douglas Whyte is confident Celestial Hero can lay down a marker for bigger and better things to come in the Class Three Plover Cove Handicap (1,000m).

Not seen on the racetrack since a breakthrough Hong Kong victory at start three in July, Celestial Hero underwent knee surgery to remove a bone fragment soon after that success and has been building back to fitness since.

Solid enough when running sixth in a strong 1,000m Sha Tin turf trial recently, Celestial Hero will resume under top weight of 135lb and will be ridden by Hugh Bowman from gate seven on Wednesday night.

“He’s a very nice horse,” said Whyte. “He’s had that surgery on his knee but he had a very nice trial and I just thought 1,000m at the Valley was a good place to start him off.

“He’s worked well and I think he’s got a nice future, but he will be in need of a run. If he wins it’ll be a bonus and whatever he does, he is going to improve.”

Celestial Hero is one of five runners for Whyte at the midweek meeting, with King Glorioso among his other chances despite drawing gate 10 for the Class Four American Club Challenge Cup (1,200m).

“It’s a shame he’s drawn wide. He needs everything to go his way but Luke [Ferraris] knows him very well. He’s put two solid runs together and if he comes back and can put another run like that up, he’ll be very competitive,” said Whyte.

While Whyte will be hopeful of a Wednesday winner, he won’t have a runner at the Longines Hong Kong International Races following Shanwah’s withdrawal from the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m).

Last at Sha Tin on the weekend, this year’s Group One Australian Derby (2,400m) third placegetter will now be given his chance to build towards Hong Kong’s equivalent in March.

“He was disappointing. He got struck behind. I’m not saying that’s a big excuse, but he did get cut into behind and he was a bit sore the day after. He got interfered with and he got knocked out of the race at the 500m, but he just didn’t pick himself up,” said Whyte.

“We’ll go to Plan B now. I’ve still got the opinion that he’s a very nice horse but he just hasn’t quite found his rhythm in the races yet and adjusted to the tempos and those sorts of things.”