[2] Designs On Rome's dam Summer Trysting failed to win but finished second on five occasions and was closely related to the Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow.

Designs On Rome met Able Friend for the third time in the Hong Kong Derby over ten furlongs in March and won again, prevailing over his rival by half a length.

In April Designs On Rome won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, beating Military Attack by a neck, with the South African runner Vercingetorix in third and Epiphaneia in fourth.

When moved up in distance for the Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup over 2400 metres in May he started the 2/5 favourite, but finished fifth of the eight runners behind Blazing Speed.

Designs On Rome came back from the surgery with his seasonal debut in the Jockey Club Mile as a prep race for the Hong Kong Cup, in which he finishes sixth.

He races again a month later at his optimum trip of 2000M in the Hong Kong Gold Cup, but this time ridden by his old partner Tommy Berry, according to the owner's will.

He sustained his momentum and held off stable companion Helene Happy Star by a comfortable half-length margin, claiming back-to-back victories in the Hong Kong Gold Cup.