Andrea Atzeni is looking forward to hopping back on promising pair Johannes Brahms and Blazing Wukong as he eyes another fruitful afternoon at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The 34-year-old has enjoyed a good start to the campaign, slamming in a double at Sha Tin on the third meeting of the season and partnering Mojave Desert to success at last weekend’s rain-shortened meeting.

Sunday is set to be another big day for the Sardinian, who has a strong book of eight rides that includes the Pierre Ng Pang-chi-trained Johannes Brahms in the feature Group Three Celebration Cup (1,400m).

The four-year-old, who was placed at Group Two level when trained by Aidan O’Brien in Europe, was a dual winner last season and was third in the Classic Cup (1,800m) behind Rubylot and My Wish.

He takes on those two rivals as he makes his reappearance and Atzeni is under no illusions about how tough the task will be.

“Johannes Brahms is obviously having his first run of the season, he’s had a couple of easy trials and he seems to be moving quite well,” said Atzeni. “He’s a horse who gets in with a lightish weight because of his rating.

“It’s a good field and a very competitive race. My Wish is one of the best horses in Hong Kong over the mile. Light Years Charm also looks like a Group horse in the making, Happy Together is a very solid one, Sunlight Power too – it’s a race where you can make a case for every single horse.

“I think anything could win this race – My Wish is the obvious one but we’ve got a good draw with Johannes Brahms and he’s a solid one. He’s run well fresh before and hopefully we can get a good sighter.”

Atzeni will also get back on board the exciting Blazing Wukong in the Class Four Tailorbird Handicap (1,400m).

He was a debut winner at Sha Tin in May and ran better than the bare result when a subsequent fifth over the same 1,200m trip.

The Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained four-year-old is a potential Classic contender and Atzeni is looking forward to the step up in trip on Sunday.

“I like this horse a lot. I thought he did really well to win first time up,” he said. “He hit the line really strongly and I thought he ran well second time, we just didn’t quite have the trip we would have liked.

“He was still learning at the job that day and I thought it was a great run as he was carrying top weight as well. He’s doing the same again on Sunday but he’s a nice big horse and his last trial was quite nice.

“His work has been good and he’s physically done well, but it’s his first run of the season and I’m sure he will improve from it. I think in time further will not be a problem either.”

On a busy day at Sha Tin, Atzeni also rides three-time Happy Valley winner Brave Star in the Class Two Magpie Handicap (1,200m), a horse who has drawn barrier eight for his return.