Limitless arrived in Hong Kong as a winner of the 2016 Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot and with hopes high that he would develop into a top-class galloper. But an impressive second-up win under Silvestre de Sousa at Sha Tin in February, 2017 was all the mercurial bay had to show from 16 starts heading into Wednesday evening’s closer, the Class 2 Waratah handicap (1650m), at Happy Valley. 

Nine jockeys had sat on the bay’s back in race mode before Douglas Whyte took the reins last time out. After that one pairing, the 13-time Hong Kong champion had gauged enough to figure out a winning game plan.

“I rode him last time and got a feel for him, he settled beautifully,” he said. “He wins the start but he’s his own worst enemy then because he wants to get going. I learnt from last time, I had to get him in behind straight away.” 

Whyte did just that tonight, camping three back on the rail as Calculation set the tempo up ahead.

“I was able to actually niggle him forward and slot in and he just went to sleep for me, it was beautiful,” Whyte said. “Turning for home, I had too much horse, he was climbing all over them but I do think he appreciates this track because it’s all turn, turn, turn and he forgets about pulling. The day he won for Silvestre he flashed up the rail and I did the same. I hugged the rail, went around one horse at the 200 (metres) and that was game over.”

Whyte is hopeful that the Caspar Fownes-trained five-year-old might yet deliver on at least some of his undoubted potential.

“He felt like a proper horse,” he said. “He always looked like he had a lot of ability and he just hasn’t delivered. He’s been disappointing, but when you get a feel of him like that, there’s a lot of upside if they can get him mentally right.”