Elite international competition is the ultimate test for athletes of all descriptions and while success at the highest level is the absolute goal, it can never be always guaranteed – even for champions – as the G1 The Everest (1200m) demonstrated at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia on Saturday (17 October).
KA YING RISING’s effort to finish second – beaten half a neck by TEMPTED – was extremely brave in the circumstances after he was caught wide from barrier 11 and Zac Purton had no option but settle further back than usual.
His effort to rally and launch a tremendous late sprint to only narrowly fail to catch TEMPTED after looking uncomfortable in the straight underlines KA YING RISING’s incredible quality and determination.
Before the race, my concern was that the track condition could have an impact on KA YING RISING’s performance. While he showed he could handle the going, which was on the soft side, he is definitely at his best on a track surface which is good or good to firm.
I congratulate TEMPTED’s connections – Godolphin, trainer Ciaron Maher and jockey Chad Schofield – on winning The Everest after ending the 21-race winning streak of the world’s highest-rated horse. It is no mean feat.
TEMPTED relished the soft conditions from barrier one and Chad displayed admirable tactical enterprise by riding his mount much closer to the lead than usual to firstly exploit the good barrier and to also place pressure on Zac and KA YING RISING.
When coming around the bend with KA YING RISING being six-wide on the track, he lost his concentration and was at risk of not even running a place. Only when horses on his outside threatened to overtake him, he got focused and showed tremendous fighting spirit and rallied to cut down the margin of the leader Tempted rapidly and ran her to half a neck.
In my opinion he would have won the race in another two or three strides. It was an extremely brave performance and KA YING RISING showed great fighting spirit.
When comparing the contrasting runs of TEMPTED and KA YING RISING, there is no doubt Chad’s tactics were pivotal to the result which, while disappointing for Hong Kong and KA YING RISING’s legion of supporters, shows once more the difficulty of travelling horses overseas.
TEMPTED has not lost in six starts now since running second to KA YING RISING in last year’s The Everest in marginally faster time. She is a wonderful mare and was perfectly suited in the conditions and enjoyed an optimal run.
The atmosphere at Randwick was amazing with its young crowd and energetic vibe. From a business viewpoint, the popularity of The Everest was illustrated in World Pool record turnover of HK$113.2 million for a single race.
The turnover in the World Pool and the lucrative odds of $8.8 for the win for TEMPTED shows the real benefit of the World Pool combining global liquidity.
Furthermore, we are appreciative of our partnership with TabCorp in Australia, supporting The Everest and being a partner in the World Pool and respecting our decision not to have fixed odds wagering offerings on our Hong Kong races while other bookmakers in Australia are exploiting our rights without our consent.
I wish KA YING RISING and his team a safe return to Hong Kong on Monday (19 October) and I look forward to seeing him back in action in the G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on 22 November.
Following that race, KA YING RISING will contest the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on 13 December and I am optimistic that, back on a firmer surface and in his regular environment, he will be ready to peak again.
Source: HKJC