David Eustace has made something of a habit of landing long-priced winners in the early months of his Hong Kong career and he’ll look to orchestrate yet another boilover when he saddles up his first Group One runner in the city at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Fresh off a 166-1 Happy Valley double which included $42 winner Definitive, Eustace will take aim at the brilliant Ka Ying Rising with recent acquisition Victor The Winner in this weekend’s Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m).

“It’s a surprise [to be doing it so soon] but it’s nice to be able to compete in these races,” said the 32-year-old.

“I’m grateful for the support and I’m happy to have a horse like this in the stable.”

Triumphant in last year’s Centenary Sprint Cup, Victor The Winner has been below his best of late and was 18 lengths adrift of Ka Ying Rising after a wide trip on speed in last month’s Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m).

Shifted from Danny Shum Chap-shing to Eustace soon after that race, Victor The Winner has since enjoyed a freshen up in Conghua and a successful trip to the Happy Valley trials.

“I’ve kept it fairly simple with him. I just changed it up by sending him to Conghua and giving him a trial at the Valley just to keep it interesting for him,” Eustace said of the six-year-old, who began his campaign with a very solid sixth in Japan’s Group One Sprinters Stakes (1,200m) in September.

“I’ve kept him fairly fresh and hopefully he can run well. He arrived in great nick, he’s very sound and he seems a happy horse.

“I think the race shape, he hasn’t had that for a while with the small field and naturally with less runners there’s going to be less pace, so I think that will help,” added Eustace of the known front runner, who has the luxury of jumping from gate one.

Joining Victor The Winner in attempting to burst the Ka Ying Rising bubble are fellow Group One winner Invincible Sage, up-and-coming pair Magic Control and Beauty Waves, Lucky With You and John Size-trained duo Howdeepisyourlove and Helios Express.

It was Helios Express who was closest to Ka Ying Rising in the Hong Kong Sprint, with the five-year-old finishing only half a length away despite finding plenty of trouble in the straight, and jockey Hugh Bowman is confident his mount is primed for another big showing.

“Helios Express feels great – I’m delighted with him. I suppose the biggest challenge for him is Ka Ying Rising, in reality. But the horse himself is in great form, great order – it should be a good contest,” said Bowman, who knows he is less likely to find trouble in an eight-horse race but admitted “Ka Ying Rising is probably more inclined to be comfortable in a small field like this”.

“There’s two ways of looking at it but it is what it is – he’s obviously the one to beat.

“We’re the underdog and under no illusion of where we sit in the pecking order, but Helios Express is certainly a capable horse and it’s a pleasure to ride him.”