Rising to Sydney’s top of the world once more

HONG KONG – Ka Ying Rising has completed final preparations before travelling to Australia for a second tilt at the A$20 million (S$18.1 million) Group 1 The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick on Oct 17 after a faultless track gallop at Sha Tin on the morning of Sept 18.

Exercising pre-dawn on the turf course, the world’s highest-rated horse galloped over 1,200m under the watchful eye of trainer David Hayes, clocking 1min 21.07sec and rounding off the work with a final 400m sectional of 22.6sec.

Winner of his past 21 starts, including setting a Sha Tin track record of 1min 06.11sec in the Group 3 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1,200m) on Sept 6, Ka Ying Rising delighted Hayes ahead of his departure on the night of Sept 20 for Sydney, where he will attempt to win the world’s richest turf race for the second time.

“He galloped and ran on well down the straight. He did it nicely, he did it all well – and his recovery was very good,” said Hayes.

The Shamexpress six-year-old will spend two weeks in quarantine at Canterbury racecourse before trialling at Randwick on Oct 6. Retired stablemate Ka Ying Glory will travel to Australia with Ka Ying Rising as a companion.

Hayes hopes the preparation, which is a carbon copy of last season’s victorious raid, will again deliver the major spoils.

“He’s really in great shape. Probably ahead of last year, I would say,” said the Australian handler.

“He doesn’t need another horse to work with in quarantine in Australia. Ka Ying Glory will go for company, they can eat together.”

Ka Ying Rising, the only foreign-trained horse to win The Everest, again runs in The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s The Everest slot.

Ridden by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising defeated Tempted and Jimmysstar in last year’s The Everest. HKJC