John Size will be hoping to continue his march up the trainers’ premiership standings when he unleashes a two-pronged assault on Sunday’s Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1,000m) at Sha Tin.

As is customary with the 13-time champion, he made a slow start to the season and after a few months to get his well-oiled machine up and running, his stable has certainly arrived to the party.

Victories for Endued and Raging Rapids on New Year’s Day ticked off another brace for Size, with the 71-year-old jumping up to 14 winners for the campaign and marching into ninth in the title race.

That may not seem particularly significant, especially with Size never having made up this much ground in previous title victories, but his 13-win deficit to Mark Newnham and Caspar Fownes could evaporate very quickly if momentum continues building in his yard.

That surge, which has seen him train six winners from his last 31 runners, could continue on Sunday when Wunderbar and Stellar Express represent him in the Group Three feature.

Although Wunderbar is the classier type, Stellar Express sneaks into the race off bottom weight and has drawn better in gate five while his stablemate jumps from barrier two.

He showed just what he can do with a dangerous draw when making all the running impressively to snag a Class Three over course and distance last month, where he was never hard pressed to secure victory.

All three of his wins have come over the 1,000m trip at Sha Tin and after a sluggish start to the season with some lifeless runs, Size thinks he has the Zoustar galloper right where he wants him.

“It has taken Stellar Express a while to get to his peak form – he’s a pretty gross horse so his preparation took a while,” said Size.

“He’s arrived now and with the light weight, he is going to run well.”

Should he not do the business under jockey Andrea Atzeni, Size can also rely on the 104-rated Wunderbar, who drops back from Group One and Group Two company and will be ridden by Hugh Bowman.

He was last seen finishing eighth behind the world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), which is an effort that can be upgraded given how closely he tracked the electric pace of the winner.

On return, he was a close-up fourth in the Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) when just behind the third-placed Magic Control, and Size is hoping for a good run despite his big weight of 130lb.

“Wunderbar is coming back from Group One racing and they are always dangerous. The weight is always an issue and there’s a big disparity from top to bottom, though,” said Size.

“I wouldn’t be trying to split them in terms of who has a better chance at the moment. They both have their positives and negatives.”

Size will bid for his sixth success in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy after wins with Grand Delight (2003), Amazing Kids (2017), Premiere (2018), Sight Success (2023) and Howdeepisyourlove (2025).

Sunday’s feature will be headlined by remarkable last-start Class Two winner Colourful King for David Eustace, while the speedy Baby Crystal, course and distance specialists We Are Hero, Magic Control and Beauty Waves, Invincible Sage, Victor The Winner, Lady’s Choice and Chateauneuf round out the field.