Pope Cody's inclusion in the final field for the 2026 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000 meters) has given veteran trainer Me Tsui Yu-sak and Australian jockey James Orman a chance to win the city's most sought after race. Officials elevated Pope Cody into the 14-horse field despite the gelding's rating of 76 being lower than fellow Derby entrants Winlord (78 rating) and the 80-rated Circuit Grand Slam. Pope Cody has not won since September despite racing eight times since but found the line nicely for sixth in the Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800m, the 59-to-one chance beating home Winlord and Circuit Grand Slam, who started at 91-to-one and 160-to-one respectively. Orman has ridden Pope Cody in each of his 15 Hong Kong starts but also in three starts in Australia before the horse was imported, including two wins. "I am rapt that they put hin in the field," Orman told The Standard. "I was taking ground off them in the Classic Cup and he has been running alight - it is unlucky for the horses rated higher than him that were left out but I don’t make the rules and I beat them home at level weights." In a race in which just three of the 14 runners – Numbers, Sgacious Life and Seraph Gabriel – have contested a race of 2,000m or further, Orman believes the step up in trip is a positive. "The extra ground will suit him for sure - he just keeps grinding away, he is a tough horse," Orman said. "You get the right run and you never know."