Hong Kong Racing Briefing: Zac Purton and Vincent Ho have full book of rides at Sha Tin

The definition of small fields tends to alter appreciably on the road from Europe to HK.

Nine of ten races at Sha Tin's Sunday fixture haven't attracted the usual maximum 14 runners, but the smallest field is nine and Zac Purton and Vincent Ho both have full books of ten for a card that carries over £1.2m in prize money on offer.

Purton can stalk and shine on Star

The 'cliff horse' concept is as prevalent in HK as it is in Europe and one that yours truly has been taken to the edge by is back for Sunday's Nam Shan Handicap at 10.10. Star Of Yuen Long is the type of smooth traveller who often catches the eye and he did so again on his reappearance, carving out solid fractions over course and distance under Zac Purton then keeping on willingly to finish a clear second.

Purton looks set to adopt a stalking role behind the freewheeling Simple Elegant this time. That rival ran much better than his final position suggests here last month, fading late having gone a little too hard. He can go close from the inside draw and has clear Quinella and Forecast potential but Star of Yuen Long is on top of his game after a strong recent trial and this doesn't look as deep as most Class 3 contests.

Patience pays off for Badel

Patience is a virtue for HK riders but Alexis Badel isn't wanting in that department and, having followed a third with three seconds at Happy Valley on Wednesday, he finally hit the line in front for his fourth win of the season aboard Regency Master for Danny Shum.

"I like to keep the people in suspense," quipped the popular Frenchman, whose four wins and 20 places in the last month have amassed more prize money (£850,000) than his 33 French wins collected in the preceding eight. Badel has nine more chances to shine on Sunday, with lightly-raced Eternal Harvest one of his better chances in the 9.35.

Stock on the rise after early scare

Persistence was the quality that characterised Vincent Ho's night at the Valley, which produced a last-gasp success aboard Naboo Star (collaring Badel and Sacred Ibis) and an even more dramatic win aboard Stock Legend

"It was unbelievable," said Ho after Francis Lui's gelding defied a dreadful start, asserting close home to prompt comparisons with HK's former brilliant bad boy Pakistan Star in some corners of the Twittersphere. The HK handicappers were clearly impressed, hiking Stock Legend from 42 to 51, but his finishing split was ordinary and it's possible this was more a case of the leaders flagging than the winner producing a genuine turn of foot.

Prawn and Patch primed for Premier match

The clock is ticking ahead of the eagerly-awaited rematch between Golden Sixty and Beauty Generation in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy but next Sunday's Sha Tin card also includes a first clash between Hot King Prawn and Computer Patch in the Premier Bowl.

Joao Moreira rode Computer Patch to a runaway G3 win on his recent reappearance but the Magic Man is tied to Hot King Prawn next week. Karis Teetan partnered John Size's high-class grey to an easy trial success on Tuesday but will switch to Computer Patch in a race that has been won by some of HK's finest sprinters down the years.