Ka Ying Rising legacy grows after Chairman’s Sprint Prize victory
Ka Ying Rising extended his remarkable winning streak to 20 races with another dominant display in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin Racecourse, capping a record-breaking performance on Champions Day.
The David Hayes-trained sprinter not only maintained his unbeaten run but also lowered his own track record over 1200m, stopping the clock at 1:07.10. Despite a relatively steady early tempo, Ka Ying Rising found another gear in the straight, producing a trademark surge at the 300m mark to quickly settle the contest. Japanese challenger Satono Reveloomed as a genuine threat turning for home but was left behind as the favourite accelerated clear.
“In the Year of the Horse, he’s one of the all-time greats now, I think,” Hayes said.
“A long time ago, I thought he might have been the horse I’ve trained and then about a year ago, I thought he’s definitely the best horse I’ve trained, and now I think he’s one of the best horses I’ve ever seen. So, you just pinch yourself to have a horse of this class.”
The latest performance, again with Zac Purton onboard, further strengthened Ka Ying Rising’s claim as the world’s leading sprinter, with the gelding now responsible for six of the nine fastest times ever recorded over the Sha Tin 1200m course. His closing 400m sectional of 21.52 seconds marked the quickest of his career.
Sunday’s win also completed back-to-back Hong Kong Speed Series titles for Ka Ying Rising, having already captured the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup and Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup earlier in the season. The achievement secured a HK$5 million bonus and made him just the second horse to claim the series twice.
The victory was his ninth at Group 1 level, adding further weight to his growing legacy in Hong Kong racing. Having already broken the Sha Tin track record in his previous start over 1400m, Ka Ying Rising has now rewritten the benchmark in consecutive runs across different distances.
Trainer David Hayes indicated the gelding will now head for a spell in Conghua before being aimed at another international campaign, with a return to Australia for The Everest in October under consideration.
Hong Kong’s dominance continued across the remaining Group 1 features, with My Wish delivering trainer Mark Newnham his first top-level win in the Champions Mile, storming home from the back under Hugh Bowman to defeat Cap Ferrat by a neck, while Japanese runners failed to fire.
In the QEII Cup, Romantic Warrior further cemented his legacy, cruising to a fourth victory in the race and moving within one win of the Hong Kong Triple Crown after comfortably holding off an international field.
