While he was second up off an impressive Group Three Celebration Cup (1,400m) success when winning last season’s Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m), trainer Tony Cruz has warned California Spangle is “not as well tuned” as he attempts to go back to back in this year’s edition of the race.

After a couple of solid – but by no means spectacular – trials, California Spangle must carry the top weight of 135 pounds and jump from the widest gate in Sunday’s 10-runner Sha Tin Trophy.

“He’s won his trials most of the time, but this time, I’d say he may not be at 100 per cent condition. He’s not as well tuned as he was because he’s put on too much weight,” Cruz said.

“He’s got a big weight, 135 pounds, and Beauty Eternal is his main opposition, but I think he should be top three.”

Cruz expects California Spangle to lead as usual, with Frankie Lor Fu-chuen confirming his pace influence, Money Catcher, “will sit maybe second or third”.

“I’m hoping he makes the pace again – he’s done it all his life off the front. That’s the way he runs his races, so I’d prefer to do the same thing. Circuit Stellar will, obviously, take a sit,” Cruz said of California Spangle, whom Hugh Bowman will ride for the first time.

In their first meeting, California Spangle gives 12 pounds to the impressive Beauty Eternal, who maps to get the gun run under Zac Purton from barrier three.

Another Cruz-trained galloper, Circuit Stellar, will also race handy. If Cruz considers Beauty Eternal to be California Spangle’s main danger, he must also have some confidence in the chances of his consistent five-year-old.

Circuit Stellar twice finished second to Beauty Eternal at Group Three level in June. While he is slightly out of the Sha Tin Trophy handicap on a rating of 105, he has already had a run this season, finishing a length and a quarter behind Healthy Happy when second in last month’s Group Three Celebration Cup (1,400m).

Circuit Stellar also has the benefit of carrying the bottom weight and has drawn nicely in gate five for Karis Teetan, who will team up with the six-year-old for the first time since May 2022.

Rounding out Cruz’s three-pronged attack on the season’s third Group contest is Beauty Joy, who was 10th in this race last year and fourth when resuming in the Celebration Cup three weeks ago.