Ka Ying Rising wins Sha Tin trial

Champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising cruised to a two-length trial victory at Sha Tin on Sunday. The win, under jockey Zac Purton, came one week before the horse's seasonal return in the Group Three HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m).

Trainer David Hayes and Purton both gave the performance their approval. Purton stated the horse jumped well and cruised along, doing just enough to be ready for his race next week. He confirmed Ka Ying Rising pulled up in good shape.

Trial Performance

The trial covered 1,000 meters on a Good track. Ka Ying Rising stopped the clock at 56.73 seconds. Despite the easy win, Purton noted a recurring concern: the horse again failed to change his lead leg during the run.

Purton expressed frustration at this habit, questioning how any horse could go 1,000 meters up the straight on one leg. He acknowledged that normal horses could not do it but emphasized Ka Ying Rising needs to sort it out when he returns to racing. The jockey had observed the same issue in a dirt trial earlier in the month, which the horse won by almost 10 lengths.

Trainer's Confidence

Hayes was less concerned about the leg issue than his jockey. He pointed out the horse was probably three or four seconds below the course record time and was doing it very easily. Hayes said he liked the way Ka Ying Rising acted before the trial and believes the horse is in the right head space for next week's race.

The trainer also noted the benefits of the horse's recent spell. Hayes stated they spell horses to make them bigger and stronger, especially sprinters, and that Ka Ying Rising is now bigger and stronger than ever. He believes there is another season of improvement ahead for the star.

Upcoming Campaign

Rated the equal best horse in the world with Ombudsman on the most recent Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, Ka Ying Rising will bid for a record-extending 21st consecutive win in the Chief Executive’s Cup. Following that Hong Kong season opener, his campaign will head to Australia.

The horse is scheduled to defend his crown in the A$20 million (HK$112.4 million) Group One The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick in October.

Ka Ying Rising's trial was the highlight of Sunday's pre-season carnival at Sha Tin. The event also featured the annual jockeys’ sprint, a 100m relay on the turf. The team of Lyle Hewitson and Derek Leung Ka-chun claimed victory in a tight finish over Harry Bentley and the fast-finishing Karis Teetan. Hewitson and Leung were presented with a HK$5,000 cheque, medals, and a trophy.