The air at Royal Randwick crackled with anticipation on Wednesday as trainers, owners, and racing fans pondered what could be one of the most thrilling editions of The Everest yet. While Hong Kong sensation Ka Ying Rising has captured headlines with a 13-race winning streak, Australian sprinter Briasa’s connections insist the world’s richest turf race is far from a foregone conclusion.
Michael Hawkes, co-trainer of Briasa alongside his father John and brother Wayne, welcomed Ka Ying Rising to Sydney but warned that Saturday’s AU$20 million G1 contest is not a “one-horse race.” Hawkes’ gelding, fresh from a commanding G2 Premiere Stakes victory over 1200m at Royal Randwick, is being primed to peak at exactly the right moment.
“It’s never been a one-horse race in our opinion,” Hawkes said. “We’ve just got him peaking right on the day. Tyler rode him brilliantly in the Premiere Stakes, the speed was hot, and he came up that rise with a lapful of horse. He’s taken great benefit from that.”
While Ka Ying Rising, representing businessman Mr Leung Shek Kong’s Ka Ying Syndicate, will start from gate seven, Briasa faces the challenge of barrier 10. Hawkes acknowledged the draw is tricky but remained confident: “There are no rules. You can have the best horse, but you don’t always win. It will come down to the tempo and jockeys jostling for positions. We’re in the zone, our horse is in the zone.”
Bjorn Baker’s Overpass, a three-time Everest contender, is expected to push the pace alongside Mazu from barrier nine. The seven-year-old finished second to Ka Ying Rising in a recent 1000m trial and has shown he performs best when fresh.
For Mr Leung, the focus is more on the experience than the result. “I’m very excited for the race on Saturday, but I’m not too worried about the outcome,” he said. “It’s a very big honour to be part of The Everest. I just want to enjoy everything and hope the horse enjoys the race as well.”
Saturday promises a clash of speed, strategy, and international rivalry — a spectacle befitting the world’s richest turf race, with Briasa and Ka Ying Rising leading the conversation.
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