Ka Ying Rising will have to create history to win Sunday’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) after connections were dealt gate 11 at Thursday morning’s barrier draw.

No horse has won the HK$26 million feature from gate 11 since it became a six-furlong contest in 2006, with the great Silent Witness the only winner from that barrier in 2003 when the race was run down the Sha Tin straight.

“I think it’s OK,” said trainer David Hayes. “If you look at his racing, he normally draws wide. Obviously you’d prefer to be closer to the rail, but he’s probably no chance to be boxed in, which at $1.20 is one of the ways you can get beaten.

“I think Zac [Purton] will be able to appear when he wants. He’s got great gate speed and a lot of those inside him don’t, so he should cruise across into quite a good spot. Hopefully he doesn’t get caught three wide, that’s all.”

Ka Ying Rising has twice negotiated double-figure draws during the current seven-race winning streak that leaves him poised on the edge of superstardom, taking a sit off the leaders from gate 10 in his record-breaking Group Two Jockey Club Sprint (1,200m) success last month.

All the other leading local Sprint hopes drew low, with Helios Express in one, California Spangle in two and Howdeepisyourlove in six, while the David Hall-trained Flying Ace – who was promoted to the field on Thursday morning after the withdrawal of American galloper Nobals – drew three.

Romantic Warrior will jump from a familiar alley in his bid for a record third straight Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) success after owner Peter Lau Pak-fai was dealt barrier one – the same gate the eight-time Group One winner jumped from when winning the recent Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m).

“Of course, I’m very happy. It’s the same draw as last time, I hope he races like last time. I’m looking forward to it,” said Lau, before suggesting it’s not set in stone that his gun galloper will have a lead-up race in January’s Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) in Dubai before tackling the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on dirt.

“Definitely he will go to the Saudi Cup, but whether we have the warm-up [race] is not sure yet.”

Overseas fixed-odds markets have Japan-trained pair Liberty Island and Tastiera as Romantic Warrior’s chief rivals, with the former drawing five and the latter seven.

Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight will jump from the inside gate in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), while star Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira will have to negotiate the outside barrier of 13 aboard the race’s other highly fancied runner, Stellenbosch.

Group One Hong Kong Mile favourite Voyage Bubble has gate five in a contest where two of his main dangers have drawn in double figures, with star Japanese galloper Soul Rush lumped with stall 10 and exciting local runner Galaxy Patch hit with 14.

Australian raider Antino will chase victory for Hong Kong-based owner Jeetu Ramchandani from gate four, while another hope out of the Land of the Rising Sun, Jantar Mantar, has eight.