Alexis Badel is optimistic he can spice things up at Wednesday’s Happy Valley meeting when he bids for a hat-trick of wins aboard Mark Newnham’s “quality” five-year-old.

The Frenchman teams up with the in-form Spicy Gold in the first section of the Class Four Speedy Handicap (1,200m) and hopes the galloper has more to offer after his first-up win on September 25.

“He’s been progressive and he’s improving quite a lot,” Badel said.

“I never had a doubt he was a quality horse so I’m just happy he keeps progressing. Hopefully he has something more to give.”

After a winless start to his career, Spicy Gold got off the mark at the ninth time of asking with a powerful victory over the Happy Valley 1,200m at the end of the campaign in July.

He continued his progression on seasonal reappearance over the same course and distance three weeks ago, with the son of So You Think surging from midfield to prevail by a neck.

“I think he would be capable of winning at Sha Tin as well, but he’s got good speed, he tries very hard and his balance is quite good for the corner,” Badel said. “I think that’s one of the major reasons horses do well at Happy Valley, they need the good balance which he has.”

Spicy Gold will have to defy a six-pound rise when he carries 131 and jumps from barrier seven in Wednesday’s contest.

He faces the likes of last-start winner Perfect General and the Jamie Richards-trained Storming Dragon, who heads to Happy Valley for the first time.

“He’s capable of quickening quite well,” Badel said. “He’s very fit, the stable are in good form and he’s got a decent gate. If the track’s fair and I can put him in the right spot, he’ll run a good race.”

Badel heads to the city circuit with a five-strong book of rides, with Wind Speeder, Silver Spurs, Smart Zipang and Our Lucky Glory completing his midweek chances.

He will hope to head back to the winner’s enclosure before turning his attention to Sunday’s Group Two Premier Bowl (1,200m), where he is set to partner the John Size-trained Helios Express.

The son of Toronado reigned supreme in the first two legs of last season’s Classic Series but has not been seen since he finished eighth in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on March 24.

He will return to 1,200m for the first time since his first-up win on November 19 last year.

“He’s a quality horse and he’s carrying no weight [115 pounds], so it’s a nice horse to ride in the race,” Badel said. “The question mark is his fitness, but we’ll see.

“I don’t know if 1,200m will be [too short for him], but I trust the process and that the trainer knows what’s best for the horse.”

Badel took Helios Express for a spin in his latest hit-out on the dirt and was impressed with the five-year-old.

“I think he is all right, it was a nice trial last week,” Badel said. “He felt as good as he possibly could and I’m looking forward to riding him.”