Every BMW Hong Kong Derby presents the clash of speed, class and stamina and John Size-trained Luger possesses enough of at least two of those qualities to take out today's renewal of the 2,000m classic at Sha Tin, reports Racing Post HK.

Whether Luger (Zac Purton) possesses enough of the third of those assets will be answered this afternoon, but what is already entered into evidence is that he is the best of the 14 four-year-olds up to this point in time and that will take him a long way.

Will it take him all the way? Well, 12 months ago in this space I suggested that Able Friend might have enough of a quality edge to beat stablemate Designs On Rome and he didn't. The better stayer won in an epic clash but, as the last year has progressed, perhaps it can be agreed that Able Friend is the better racehorse. That's not to denigrate Designs On Rome, a world-class horse himself, but we have seen Able Friend establish himself as something more than a little freakish.

That was not enough to carry him home in the Derby but, if Luger has a quality edge over his rivals today, there is at least the plus that there is no Designs On Rome or equivalent to wrestle the prize off him by sheer staying power and will.

Luger's form at shorter distances says he is somewhere around the level of Able Friend at this time last year.

His first attempt at 1,600m, at his first race for more than three months, saw him carrying a big weight, running fast times and beating good quality Class Two opposition.

Runner-up Arpinati produced a personal best in that but was shrugged off in the final 50m, while third horse Santa Fe Sun was beaten three lengths.

Those two rubber-stamped the form by overcoming difficulties to win last week and Luger might be the only horse in today's Derby who could be dropped into an open-age Group One right now and emerge with his dignity intact, perhaps even be competitive.

And as much as rivals like Beauty Only (Neil Callan) and Giant Treasure (Douglas Whyte) are presumed better suited than Luger by 2,000m, they also have yet to be exposed to it.

It's no secret that Size controls the speed of the Derby with Thunder Fantasy and Contentment, and the impression he gave after the draw was that Luger would also be pushing forward and following Contentment over.

It's a plan we have seen before when Fay Fay followed another Size-trained runner, Real Specialist, across and forward in the early stages of the 2012 Derby to overcome the 14 barrier, although full control of the speed did not belong to them.