Tony Cruz fancies Five G Patch slightly ahead of La City Blanche as the best chance of adding to his extraordinary record in Sunday’s Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin.

An icon for his feats over more than five decades in racing, the city’s greatest home-grown jockey rode three Champions & Chater Cup winners – Co-Tack in 1983 and 1984 and Makarpura Star, who shared the spoils in a famous dead-heat with John Moore-trained stablemate Survey King in 1995.

Cruz has been the most dominant force in the staying feature since the turn of the century with seven winners as a trainer – California Memory (2013), Blazing Speed (2014 and 2016), Helene Super Star (2015), Pakistan Star (2018) and Exultant (2019-20).

Boasting a strong hand with two of the eight runners in Sunday’s renewal, the 67-year-old handler favours Five G Patch to turn the tables on his stablemate from their latest clash in the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m).

La City Blanche caused an upset at $22 when he chased down Five G Patch, who was sent off the $3.9 favourite, by a neck in a tight finish.

“I’m very happy with my two horses,” Cruz said.

“They’re in top shape and I’m very happy with their condition. They both came out of the previous race very good and they’re ready for this race.

“I was surprised La City Blanche beat Five G Patch. I’m expecting a lot from Five G Patch. He’s been very unlucky this season. There’s three races he should have won, but hopefully we pull this one off.”

After running third to Russian Emperor and Romantic Warrior in last year’s Champions & Chater, Five G Patch has been placed five times this season including another close second in the Group Three Centenary Vase (1,800m) behind Nimble Nimbus.

Cruz said the Camelot six-year-old had a better chance of handling a rain-affected track than La City Blanche, if Sha Tin is impacted by rain over the weekend.

“The weather forecast isn’t great,” Cruz said.

“I reckon my two horses like it better on faster ground. I know they can both stay. They can run a two-mile race. I think I’ve got a good chance with them.”

Brenton Avdulla regains the ride on Five G Patch after Harry Bentley jumped on board in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup. He has drawn barrier five.

Matthew Chadwick retains the ride on La City Blanche, an Argentinian Group One winner in 2021 when known as Zodiacal.

The Queen Mother Memorial Cup victory was only his second Hong Kong triumph after joining the Cruz stable in 2022. He jumps from barrier seven.

Standing ominously in the way of Cruz’s duo is Godolphin star Rebel’s Romance, who arrives in Hong Kong with the second-highest rating in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2024.

The Charlie Appleby-trained gelding dominated a strong international field in the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic (2,410m) at Meydan in March and was just as impressive winning the H.H. The Amir Trophy (2,400m) at Doha in February.

“Obviously he’s the one to beat,” Cruz said of Rebel’s Romance, a winner at 12 of 18 starts across multiple countries. “He could be the classy one in this field.”