The atmosphere at Royal Randwick is electric this week as the world’s top-rated sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, prepares to tackle the AU$20 million G1 The Everest over 1200m. For James McDonald, the only jockey to have beaten the Hong Kong champion, admiration comes with caution.
“He’s a superstar, he’s an absolute superstar,” McDonald said. “If he brings his Sha Tin form, he’s almost sometimes impossible to beat. I’ve ridden some good horses against him and he’s made them look pretty second rate.”
Yet, McDonald, who rides Chris Waller’s Joliestar on Saturday, cautions that The Everest is a different challenge altogether. “This is probably the toughest test to date for him… he’s going to have to be at the top of his game,” he said.
The Everest lineup is star-studded, with Waller running three horses: Joliestar, Lady Shenandoah, and Angel Capital. Waller welcomed Ka Ying Rising’s presence, saying it brings an international flavour to the race. “It’s like an Olympic sprint final—every horse must be at their best. Australia has got something to prove,” Waller said.
McDonald is chasing a second Everest win after his 2021 triumph aboard Nature Strip. Ka Ying Rising will break from barrier seven under Zac Purton, and his Sha Tin form has fans and pundits alike expecting fireworks.
“Joliestar is in the zone, Lady Shenandoah is a rising star, and Angel Capital could surprise if he brings his home-track form,” Waller added. The pre-race build-up has been enormous, with a sell-out crowd eager to witness what promises to be a showdown of the world’s elite sprinters.
With the world watching, Ka Ying Rising faces a test that could define his international legacy—but McDonald’s words leave no doubt: this superstar will need everything to fire perfectly on Saturday.
Read the full story on RaceBuzz for all The Everest 2025 updates.
