Danny Shum Chap-shing walked away from Tuesday morning’s Group One Cox Plate (2,040m) barrier draw pleased with Romantic Warrior’s “reasonable” gate but unhappy about the limited facilities the horse has had at his disposal since he arrived in Australia.

Fourth in the Group One Turnbull Stakes (2,000m) on October 7, Romantic Warrior has been at Werribee International Horse Centre since September 16, and Shum admitted the five-year-old will only be “90-95 per cent” fit for Saturday’s big race.

“I can’t say I’m happy, but these are the only facilities I can use. In Hong Kong, we have swimming pools, we have walking machines, and we can, of course, barrier trial. At least I think some swimming pools, walking machines, if they can provide that, it would be great,” Shum said of Romantic Warrior’s Werribee stay, adding he would likely have his stable star fitter if he had more to work with.

“I think he would be better because we can only hand walk for 30 minutes before we put the saddle on. If he could have the walking machine for 15 minutes, it would be a better warm-up for him.”

It is far from the first hurdle Romantic Warrior has faced in the lead-up to the Cox Plate – a typhoon saw him miss a barrier trial, and for a time, he had to switch to an unsuitable feed – but Shum remains positive about the chances of the gelding adding a fourth Group One win to his resume this weekend.

“I think it’s a reasonable draw. I’m happy with it. If he can settle with some cover, he’ll hit the line strong. If we handle the sharp turn, I think we’ve got a good chance of winning the Cox Plate,” Shum said after his assistant trainer, Ben So Tik-hung, chose barrier seven, the most successful gate in Cox Plate history but one that has not provided a victor since So You Think’s 2009 success.

So was sixth cab off the rank in the Cox Plate’s unique draw format that sees horses selected from a barrel and connections choose gates from those that remain.

The Ben, Will & JD Hayes-trained Mr Brightside – who has December’s Longines Hong Kong International Races in his sights – has gate two, Zac Purton’s mount, Fangirl, will jump from stall nine and connections of Romantic Warrior’s main market rival, Alligator Blood, chose barrier five.

Romantic Warrior is looking to become just the second Hong Kong-trained horse to win in Australia – and the first to be successful in the Cox Plate – but Shum maintains he is not feeling the heat four days out from Australasia’s weight-for-age championship.

“There’s pressure, but it’s motivation for me. I like to take the pressure. My nickname is Iron Man in Hong Kong, so pressure for me isn’t a problem,” Shum said.

“It’s a great honour to come here. Actually, I was here 25 years ago when I was an assistant trainer, so it’s a really great honour to send a horse to run in the Cox Plate, one of the most major races in Australia. If I can win and create history, that has big meaning for me and the Hong Kong Jockey Club.”

Turnbull fourth sees Warrior loses Cox Plate favouritism but not McDonald’s faith

There is a chance Romantic Charm becomes Hong Kong’s second Australian winner – Cape Of Good Hope was the first – in the Brandt Colac BM70 Handicap (1,700m) on Wednesday’s Geelong Cup undercard, but Shum is hopeful rather than confident ahead of the galloper’s first run since July.

“He’s OK, but he also has a lack of barrier trials. We don’t have a swimming pool. We don’t have a walking machine. So he’s just on the turf gallop. Hopefully, he can handle it, but if not, in Hong Kong, I think he can win a race in Class Three,” Shum said.