It was a quiet morning at Royal Randwick, but the sight of Hong Kong’s champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising stretching his legs in Sydney spoke volumes. Trainer David Hayes and jockey Zac Purton watched with calm assurance as the four-time Group 1 winner completed his 1000m barrier trial in third place — not spectacular, but exactly what they wanted before The Everest on October 18.
The world’s highest-rated sprinter wasn’t out to impress the clock. Instead, Hayes wanted rhythm, balance, and the reminder of what competition feels like. From barrier seven, Purton allowed Ka Ying Rising to coast three-wide, keeping him under restraint as he cruised down the straight. He finished a head behind Linebacker (Zac Lloyd) and Overpass (Josh Parr), who fought out the trial’s narrow finish in 58.39s. Mr Brightside followed, several lengths adrift.
Hayes content with steady progress
For Hayes, who has managed champions across hemispheres, it was all part of the plan. “It was a good, solid trial but he did need it,” he said. “He blew a few cobwebs out and he’ll really come on a lot for that. He’ll have a nice gallop on Monday and be right for the big one.”
Ka Ying Rising, carrying about 20 pounds above his racing weight, showed the residual strength of a horse yet to peak. The trial field — stacked with proven Group 1 winners like Fangirl, Mr Brightside, and Overpass — provided an ideal tune-up. “He’s about 20 pounds above his racing weight (around 1,150lb), and I’ll expect it to come down in the next week,” Hayes added.
Purton’s perspective: “Pass mark, needs to improve”
Jockey Zac Purton, ever the perfectionist, offered a measured review. “Pass mark, needs to improve,” he said. “He hasn’t had a run for about a month, and it was his first competitive hit-out in a while. The track was a little bit soft — not really his surface — but I thought he trialled well enough.”
Purton believes The Everest will demand another gear. “The horses in Australia are peaking at the right time,” he noted. “Hopefully we can draw a good gate and get a dry track. He’ll have another 200 metres to run and ten days to sharpen up — he’ll improve.”
Familiar surroundings, unfamiliar territory
The trial doubled as an acclimatisation exercise for Ka Ying Rising, who hasn’t raced away from Sha Tin since his streak began. The five-year-old even had a mock “raceday rehearsal” — standing in Randwick’s tie-up stalls, walking the Theatre of the Horse ring, and sampling the racecourse’s atmosphere.
“Hopefully he’ll improve from the experience,” Hayes said. “He’s had a look at Randwick now. It’s his first time away from Sha Tin for a long while, so it was very good for him.”
Eyes on The Everest
Unbeaten in his last 13 starts, Ka Ying Rising will next step onto racing’s richest turf stage The Everest, with a staggering HK$103 million purse. The final field will be confirmed on October 13, and all eyes will be on whether Hong Kong’s sprinting sensation can extend his dominance on Australian soil.
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