Jockey Nash Rawiller believes that New Zealand bred Mongolian King has the ability to win a race soon in Class 3, but that luck is yet to fall the way of the gelding who's bad luck continued when he drew the outside gate for the Class 3 Jardine Handicap (1650m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (29 March), although the rider said there were positives to the wide berth as the galloper makes his city track debut.

"He's a lovely horse and he's just had nothing go right for him at his last few runs," Rawiller said at Sha Tin trackwork on Tuesday morning (28 March). "I suppose from 12, we're not going to find too much trouble early hopefully! I'm just hoping we can get that ounce of luck and he will be very hard to beat.

The son of Sufficient, previously named War Pig in Australia, arrived in Hong Kong as the winner of four of his six starts at country and provincial tracks surrounding Sydney. The highlight was a four and a quarter length victory in the Nowra Cup, an open handicap over 1600m, at his last start before he was imported.

Since his arrival, Mongolian King has produced four strong efforts without winning, all at Sha Tin. The best of these was a second to Mr Potential over 1400m three back with Oisin Murphy aboard, before Rawiller partnered the Me Tsui trainee to fifths behind Nothingilikemore over 1400m and dead-heaters Go Beauty Go and What Else But You over a mile.

"He's been luckless so it's hard to be too critical of him," Rawiller said. "Where he's at currently, though, he's learning his craft so he doesn't really help himself. He's got good ability, he's just a horse that needs a few things to go his way."

Rawiller said the wide gate may force him to look at pushing towards the lead on the four-year-old, especially around the Happy Valley 1650m, which has a quick run to the first turn.

"It's a C+3 track so Me and I will look at the race closely, we will work out what's best for the horse and for his chances," said the rider. "He's got the gate speed to roll forward and depending on what the pace looks like, it might not be a bad option because it will allow him to get into his comfort zone, on the speed and out of trouble."

Mongolian King meets 11 rivals, including Chris So-trained Roundabout, 2016 BMW Hong Kong Derby runner Hero Look, John Moore's Agree, and High Volatility, who has drawn the inside for Francis Lui.