Most of what has happened this season with the crop that will be four when the 2025 Derby rolls around has been about sprinting types who might make a bid for the Classic Mile, but that changed on Sunday.
In the final race, John Size's former Britannia Stakes winner, Mickley, got a nice ride to run on strongly inside and outpoint Francis Lui's former Rosehill Guineas runner-up, Cap Ferrat, at his first HK appearance.
Mickley was making only his second start in HK himself, so both horses have scope to do better and both posted figures that would not need much improvement to be right in the zone as Derby contenders.
Of course, this season's classic prospects are somewhat warped by the towering presence of Ka Ying Rising, though his narrow win in the HK Sprint prompted trainer David Hayes to suggest that a Classic Mile start is not certain for the star sprinter.
Sprinters have been the flavour of our top 4yo ratings until now, with queries over these are horses who might go further, but Mickley and Cap Ferrat don't look to carry the same queries.
Cap Ferrat's form carries some distance assurances and, while Mickley has not been tried beyond a mile and is by more of a sprinting stallion, his dam was by Giant's Causeway and, the way he closed out Sunday's mile, perhaps he has thrown towards that side of his breeding.