Danny Shum Chap-shing's Scarlet Camellia hasn't had the best of luck in feature races in the past but he will be looking for some redemption in the Group Three Ladies' Purse (1,800m) at Sha Tin today, reports Racing Post HK.
Last season, Scarlet Camellia was backed off the map in the same race as he dipped his hoof in the black type pool for the first time and was far from disgraced with his third to Packing Whiz and Dominant.
Since then, in Group races, he has been close up in the Jockey Club Cup, run a good race out of his depth in the Hong Kong Vase and was a good thing beaten in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup.
Of course, the same is true for all but the real superstars: when they get to the high grades there are no easy races and a little luck goes a long way but, with an ounce of that precious commodity, Scarlet Camellia (Keith Yeung Ming-lun) can cause an upset today.
To see if he is up to the task against the opposition he meets, we only have to look back at Scarlet Camellia finishing third in July over this same course behind Blazing Speed (Matthew Chadwick).
That day, he had his chance but raced with credit and is now down a point in the ratings while the winner has soared 17 rating points since.
Scarlet Camellia was fifth on his seasonal return on National Day but punters shouldn't hang him for that - he was caught four wide around the field in a messy, badly-run race and had his share of excuses.