Amber Sky showed some of his old dash in Tuesdays first barrier trial at Sha Tin, but most eyes were fixed some 11 lengths behind Ricky Yiu’s veteran speedster, where the John Moore-trained Able Friend, Werther, Helene Paragon and Designs On Rome closed off in a bunch.

Able Friend was the first of Moore’s Group 1 heavyweights to pass the post at the end of the 1000m turf hit-out. The imposing Shamardal gelding, arguably an unlucky third to stablemate Helene Paragon in last month’s G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), is being aimed at a rematch with that rival in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on 26 February.