Currently the world’s highest-rated racehorse and boasting an incredible 21-race winning streak, Hong Kong’s elite sprinter Ka Ying Rising is set to depart for Sydney, Australia, tonight (Sunday, September 20). The horse has its sights set on The Everest, a 1200m Group 1 race to be held at Randwick Racecourse on October 17. As the world’s richest turf race with a total prize pool of AUD 20 million (approximately HKD 111 million), Ka Ying Rising will take up the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s slot in a bid to defend his title.
The sprint king has been in phenomenal form recently, having won the Group 3 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1200m handicap) earlier on September 6. Clocking a winning time of 1 minute 06.11 seconds, it marked the fifth time the horse has broken the Sha Tin 1200m track record, further demonstrating his unrivaled dominance.
In preparation for the overseas campaign, trainer David Hayes personally supervised Ka Ying Rising’s final turf gallop at Sha Tin early this past Friday morning (September 18) prior to his departure. The horse completed the 1200m distance in 1 minute 21.70 seconds, clocking 22.6 seconds for the final 400 meters in what was a flawless performance. Hayes was extremely satisfied, stating, “The horse moved beautifully down the straight during the gallop and did everything right. He recovered quickly after the workout and has a good appetite. Following this final piece of work, he is completely ready for the journey.”
Regarding the preparation strategy, Hayes has adopted the exact same approach that proved successful when winning this race last season. He believes Ka Ying Rising’s current condition is exceptionally sharp, perhaps even better than it was during last year’s victory. Upon arriving in Australia, the horse will first undergo a two-week quarantine period at Canterbury Racecourse, before heading to Randwick Racecourse for a barrier trial scheduled for Tuesday, October 6.
It is worth noting that retired stablemate Ka Ying Chun Sing will travel alongside him this time. Hayes explained that Ka Ying Rising does not require a galloping companion during quarantine; Ka Ying Chun Sing is joining purely as a companion horse to eat alongside him and help keep him relaxed.
Reflecting on last year, Ka Ying Rising, ridden by jockey Zac Purton, defeated formidable rivals such as Dong Xin and Jimmystar to successfully capture The Everest, making history as the first and only overseas-trained horse to win the race. The team behind him hopes that with a flawless preparation, he will return victorious once again this year.
Source: HKJC