HONG Kong racing has long prided itself on its ability to produce top class sprinters and even when the local sages seem to think the conveyor belt has stalled there always seems to be a new one that graduates to the elite level.

The latest name to emerge is Aerovelocity, a Kiwi-bred trained by another New Zealand expatriate Paul O’Sullivan, who booked his ticket for the Longines Hong Kong Sprint in December with a come-from-behind burst under Purton in the HK Group 2 Premier Bowl.

Last season’s most improved horse continued his rise towards the summit of the local rankings despite missing the start, something which O’Sullivan believes may assist the six-year-old in the long run.

“He’s always been a horse that likes to race in the front rank but Zac said he was uncharacteristically wound up in the gates and just blew the jump and left him having to work out a Plan B,” the trainer said.

“Zac knows the horse better than anyone, he didn’t panic. He stuck to the inside and got up on the line. That would probably be the best education the horse has ever had and it won’t hurt him because if we’re thinking about the international sprint, it’s very hard to win that race by trying to make all the running so I’d hope he has got some good experience from that result today.”

The 3/1 favourite Aerovelocity defeated a couple of lightweight hopes in Super Jockey and Smart Volatility with much of the post-race focus on the fourth home, Able Friend, who carried top-weight under Nash Rawiller.

His trainer John Moore said: “It briefly looked as if he might win but he peaked on his run. He just wasn’t fit enough for his comeback today but he will come on a lot for that effort and he will be spot for the Mile Trial and the Hong Kong Mile itself after this.”