Trainer John Moore is ready to unleash six challengers in Hong Kong's premier domestic prize, the G1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby on Sunday at Sha Tin.

Moore will saddle Zaidan (Olivier Doleuze) while Tim Clark has the leg up on Smart Giant, Jeff Lloyd rides Dan Excel, Craig Williams comes from Australia to ride Military Attack, Brett Prebble is aboard Same World and Neil Callan continues his association with Dominant.

His big contingent will face a stiff challenge from eight rivals, among them the leading contender Sweet Orange, trained by David Ferraris and to be once again ridden by Weichong Marwing.

Moore is hoping for good fortune at Thursday's barrier drawt.

“It's hard to single one of the six out as the top pick as we haven't got the gate draws yet and that will have a great bearing,” said the trainer.

“Sweet Orange is the obvious one to beat if he's at the top of his game but I'm going towards the race full of confidence that I can come away with a Derby winner.”

Ferraris is also confident of Sweet Orange's Derby credentials and is equally conscious of the draw's importance in the 2000m showpiece.

"Sweet Orange is pleasing me – he had a gallop on Saturday with a companion and he did that nicely,” revealed Ferraris.

“His preparation has gone well, exactly the same as his last run, and I'm confident of a good run on Sunday.

"But we still need to pull a barrier, it's vitally important at this distance to get the right draw.”

Moore has a good line of form as his top hope Zaidan just held Sweet Orange's flying finish to land the G1 Mercedes-Benz HK Classic Cup last time.

“Zaidan has been up for a long time but he still managed a gutsy win the other day,” continued Moore.

“Olivier Doleuze admitted afterwards that he went too early but won despite of that. The horse has handled his racing and barring no wet track, the jockey is confident of being in the finish.

“Dominant needed his first run and was probably a bit too close to the pace,” said Moore. "Of all of my runners, he is the one that probably has the most upside to him, given his third to Twice Over in a 2000m Group 2 at York last year.

"We put him to sleep at the rear for his second start here and he showed his true colours, running to the line very strongly behind Zaidan. He was in need of that run and the jockey was very enthusiastic afterwards.

“He trialled last Tuesday and went exceedingly well. He ran to the line like a horse with a chance of winning the Derby.

“Smart Giant has been on the go a while. He had an issue with blood in his trachea but before that he was showing great progressive form that would give him a legitimate chance in the Derby.

“The key factor to Dan Excel's chance lies in the barrier draw. He has been trapped deep in his races and shows a tendency to over-race, so he needs a good gate to be able to get cover and relax.

"There's always a question mark of him getting a strongly run 2000m but he's a very fit horse now and is peaking for the race.

“That was a very impressive win from Military Attack first up at Happy Valley but then in his last run he was drawn in gate 1 and probably ended up racing too close to the pace.

"He was revved up too early and that was a learning curve for all of us. He's a horse with a lot of upside to him and if you forget his last run you would have to give him a big chance of winning with Craig Williams in the saddle.

“Same World is an out and out 2000m and further horse. He has been running very consistently and genuinely and his performances have been up to Derby standard.

"Some people that have done speed ratings have him down as the Derby dark horse.”