Sha Tin will be the battleground for a rare clash on Sunday as Brazilian Group One winners Winfield and Sagacious Life take each other on for the second time in the Class Two Leighton Handicap (1,600m).

Sagacious Life, trained by Pierre Ng Pang-chi, caused a $33 shock when collecting the Class Two Panasonic Cup (1,600m) on local debut, before finishing a held-up sixth in the same grade since.

Things will get no easier for him on Sunday as he will be taking on the now Mark Newnham-trained Winfield, who gave him a beating by more than five lengths in the Group One Jockey Club de São Paulo (2,000m) in October 2024.

He went on to win the Group One Derby Paulista (2,400m) at Cidade Jardim and has the race fitness edge, but he faces Winfield on 7lb worse terms than their Brazilian meeting.

Newnham will be approaching the race with cautious optimism rather than confidence, with the trainers’ title leader acutely aware of the difficulty of winning at a higher level in Hong Kong first time up.

Winfield’s most recent trial saw him finish a comfortable third behind Thursday’s Group Three winner Storm Rider and Light Years Charm, however, and the top trainer seems to have a good handle on his exciting import.

“It’s worked out for one particular horse so far, we’ll see if it works out for my one as well,” said Newnham of Winfield, who will be ridden by Lyle Hewitson. “He’s been a bit difficult to handle in his work but we seem to have found a routine that suits him.

“He does a fair bit of work on the treadmill and his trials have been good – it’s taken him a while to get him to a trial but he’s ready to race now.

“Facts and figures tell you what it’s very difficult to win in a Class Two first run in Hong Kong, but he’s got to start somewhere and if he’s going to make the four-year-old series, this is a good starting point for him.

“I just want him to run well. He has shown enough in his trials and his work to run well, and I’d be pleasantly surprised if he was able to win.”

Also lurking in the competitive Class Two contest is the Chris So Wai-yin-trained Top Dragon, who is also being pointed towards the Classic Series.

He is a three-time winner in Hong Kong, with two of those successes coming at Class Three level, and he will be stepping up to this level for the first time.

The Pierata galloper was last seen finishing second to Little Paradise in the Class Three Salisbury Handicap (1,400m) when inconvenienced by barrier 10 and will now step up to the mile for the first time.

“I think it’s a big test for him. I hope he will run well. The way he races, he seems like he will handle a mile. He doesn’t charge and he’s relaxed,” said So.

“We still have a chance to go to the Classic Mile. Let’s see how he performs on Sunday and I’ll discuss with the owner.”

Top Dragon will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni for the first time, with his regular rider Zac Purton engaged to ride Sagacious Life.