Saturday summary: Ka Ying Rising scales Everest as Half Yours conquers the Caulfield Cup

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising proves world-class in Everest triumph

Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) delivered on the weight of expectation at Randwick on Saturday, producing a high-pressure, high-class performance to claim the $20 million G1 TAB Everest and in doing so, confirmed his status as the world’s best sprinter.

Ridden by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising jumped cleanly from barrier seven and settled in his trademark on-speed position. As Overpass (Vancouver) cut out a brutal early tempo, Purton kept his mount poised just behind the leaders as Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) made a surprise move to slide up on his outside. At the top of the straight, Purton remained relaxed before pushing the button on Ka Ying Rising, who surged into clear air and struck the front at the furlong, racing clear for an effortless victory against Australia’s best equine athletes. Top Godolphin filly Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) ran on strongly along the inside to finish 1.15 lengths back in second, narrowly ahead of her stablemate Jimmysstar (NZ) who raced for TAB and finished 1.42 lengths back from the winner.

Already a multiple Group 1 winner and a sprinting powerhouse at home, the Shamexpress (NZ) gelding arrived in Sydney carrying immense expectation as the clear odds-on favourite for the richest race on turf. With 14 wins from 16 starts, all but one of them over 1200 metres, Ka Ying Rising’s record spoke for itself but The Everest would ask new questions on foreign turf, under intense pressure, and in front of a global audience.

The pre-race attention reached phenomonal heights after a plain trial at Randwick raised eyebrows and travel queries lingered, however trainer David Hayes remained confident throughout.

In the end, Ka Ying Rising answered the doubters with authority.

“It was a long way down that straight but when he got over the rise and Zac hadn’t used him I thought they were going to have to be pretty good to beat him,” Hayes said.

“I can’t wait to really watch the replay and enjoy it. It’s a long straight at Randwick isn’t it when you hit the front with 300 metres to go but I think he held on pretty well. Great ride by Zac (Purton) and I actually would’ve been shattered if he lost today. I think there’s more to come with this horse.”

Hayes, who has recorded 67 Group 1 victories, rated the win as one of the greatest of his stellar training career.

“It’s certainly the biggest thrill in my life,” he said. “It’s been the longest ten days in my life I think. He (Better Loosen Up) was the last world champion rated horse I’ve trained and this is the next one. A lot of good horses in between but these are the two stars.”

It was a performance worthy of his reputation and one that confirmed his standing as one of the world’s premier sprinters. However, Purton was adamant that we didn’t see the best of Ka Ying Rising at Randwick and also admitted he’d had his doubts in the lead up to the race.

“There were a few days when I was not that happy with his trial but the more I analyzed it, the ground was soft and he didn’t like it, he was overweight and heavy,” Purton said post-race.

“Overpass is a pretty good horse and I underestimated him until I went back into his replays over the last few days and he’d just been beaten in an Everest before so I thought, well, he just got beaten in an Everest and I couldn’t beat him in a trial so he’s still there.”

“I don’t think we saw him at his best today but even though he wasn’t at his best he’s still good enough.”

The result was a landmark moment not only for connections, but also for Hong Kong Jockey Club who own The Everest slot. Ka Ying Rising made history; becoming the first international runner to win The Everest. It is the gelding's 14th consecutive victory and took his earnings past a staggering $20m.

Off the track, the race shattered wagering records. The Everest attracted the highest ever turnover on an international race via the World Pool, with HK$99.2 million bet through the Hong Kong Jockey Club alone. Australian punters also engaged in record fashion, with AU$17.5 million wagered domestically, including an all-time high in TAB fixed odds turnover.

Pedigree notes: Bred in New Zealand by Grandmoral Lodge Racing, Ka Ying Rising was purchased off good jump out form in New Zealand prior to his debut by Lindsay Park investment group. The 5-year-old is the first and only winner out of Missy Moo (Per Incanto {USA}), a five-time winner who passed away in 2022. Her family is one of the most iconic in the New Zealand Stud Book, it is better known for classic stamina than sprinting brilliance tracing directly back to blue hen Taiona (Sovereign Edition {Ire}), dam of Champion 3-year-old Sovereign Red (Sir Tristam), Melbourne Cup winner Gurner’s Lane (Sir Tristam), while Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) also features further down the page.

Ka Ying Rising is the standout performer among 15 stakes winners by Shamexpress (NZ) who stands at Windsor Park in New Zealand for a fee of (NZ)$20,000 +GST.

Half Yours delivers emotional Caulfield Cup victory for McEvoys and Melham

A long-range plan came to stunning fruition at Caulfield on Saturday as Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) stormed home to win the G1 Caulfield Cup (2400 metres), handing father and son co-trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy one of the great victories of their partnership and delivering a historic milestone to jockey Jamie Melham in the process.

The $5 million staying feature was the biggest prize yet for the McEvoy partnership, and also for the horse they sourced just 11 months ago at a dispersal sale for $305,000. Bred for the late Colin McKenna’s Halo Racing Service, the rising five-year-old was the second most expensive lot sold in Halo Racing’s unreserved dispersal sale during last November’s Inglis Digital auction. Since then, the son of St Jean (Ire) has returned nearly ten times that investment, culminating in a tenacious Cauldfield Cup win that will long be remembered.

With Melham in the saddle, Half Yours settled beautifully midfield before peeling away from the inside and into the clear at the top of the straight. The 5-year-old quickly powered past the early leaders and held off the strong-closing Chris Waller stablemates River Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Valiant King (GB) (Roaring Lion {USA}) to win by 0.46 lengths, delivering the Caulfield Cup to Melham in historic fashion as the first female jockey to win the race in its 146-year history.

It was a special moment for the McEvoys, with Tony praising both the result and the opportunity to share it with his son.

“It is a very important moment, proud moment for me, to be able to do it with Cal, it is really important,” an emotional Tony McEvoy said.

“I mean, I was hoping he was going to be a doctor or something, but look, it was such a joy for me, for him to want to follow in my footsteps. In this business, you don't own many things; in this business, what you've got is your intellectual property, and if you've got no one to pass it to, it's gone.

“And so to have Cal seeing what I've done over my time and now take it to another level, and he's added an immense arm to the business with the technology that they've got today. I'm a bit too old school myself for that stuff, so that's what's made us better. But this is extremely special, and it won't be the last one of these, I'm sure.”

“This is why we do it, to have a runner in these, and they're bloody hard to win.

“That was incredible.”

Tony also praised the horse’s development he's witnessed since joining their stable.

“He's come a long way in six months, this fellow, hasn't he? And travelling really grows horses up, and he was a big raw horse,” Tony said.

“The way he came into the paddock today, he looked like he'd arrived as a stayer. And then he went and did that today, so it was very exciting.”

Half Yours came into the race as the $3.60 favourite following an eye-catching fourth in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes behind Sir Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and justified that support with a perfectly timed ride from Melham, who is regarded by many as the country’s top female rider. It was a dream come true for the star jockey, who was overcome with emotion.

“I have tried not to think about it for the last few days because I wanted to come out here and ride give him the best because I knew he was the best horse in the race. But everything was perfect. It worked out perfectly for him,” Melham said.

“Just saying Caulfield Cup makes me cry. I have won 17 Group 1s now but that major has eluded me and I just wanted to get maybe one – maybe three more – and the Melbourne Cup.”

Sales info: Half Yours was bred by the late Colin McKenna under his Halo Racing Service banner and was sold for $305,000 through the Inglis Digital platform during an unreserved dispersal sale in November 2023 where he purchased by Belmont Bloodstock and McEvoy Mitchell Racing.

Pedigree Notes: He is from the third crop of G3 City Of Auckland Cup winner St Jean (Ire), which only numbered 10 live foals and is the best performer from five to race out of La Gazelle (Desert King {Ire}), a half-sister to G3 Queen’s Cup winner Moudre (Blevic) and 11-time winner Knock Knock (Anyone Home).

Blinkers the breakthrough as Ceolwulf defends G1 King Charles III crown

A gear change kept in reserve for the grand final proved a masterstroke, as Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock{NZ}) returned to peak form with a dominant defence of his title in Saturday’s G1 King Charles III Stakes (1600 metres) at Randwick.

Trained by Joe Pride, the rising 5-year-old stormed down the centre of the track under a well-timed ride from Chad Schofield, defeating a gallant Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars {NZ}) and high-class mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride of Dubai), who faded after setting a bold early tempo.

“Twelve months ago I thought, here he is, the best horse I’ll ever train, and we spent another 12 months waiting to see that again,” Pride said. “I think the blinkers had a fair bit to do with it today.”

It was the first time the gelding had ever worn the gear – Pride had not even applied them in a gallop or trial - and it clearly made an immediate impact. Schofield settled him in a midfield position, conserving energy before weaving into the clear and unleashing an explosive final 300 metres.

“Just a masterstroke by Joe, just keeping that ace up his sleeve for the grand final today,” said Schofield. “The blinkers just brought out the best of him and god he was good.”

It was Ceolwulf’s third major win at the Randwick mile and further evidence the distance suits him perfectly, although Schofield believes the gelding has more to offer beyond 1600 metres.

“He’s a great miler, three of his best wins have been here over a mile. But I can’t keep forgetting the fact that he’s run second in the Derby over 2400m on a heavy track, so we know he’s got the stamina too. He’s just a great horse when he’s right and he’s got options.”

With that versatility in mind, Pride will now weigh up options for Ceolwulf (NZ) at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, where both the G1 Champions Mile (1600 metres) and G1 Champions Stakes (2000 metres) remain on the table.

The win takes Ceolwulf’s record to six wins from 24 starts, with earnings now well beyond the $9 million mark. For Pride, it capped a memorable day for the stable with Private Eye (Al Maher) landing his 14th career win earlier in the Moonga Stakes at Caulfield.

Sales info: Sold by Riversley Park at the 2022 NZB Ready to Run Sale for NZ$170,000, Ceolwulf was bred by Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay and boasts strong international bloodlines.

Pedigree notes: The 5-year-old is out of unraced Shamardal (USA) mare Las Brisas, a half-sister to UK Listed winner Nantyglow (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) and from the family of G1 Irish Oaks winner Moonstone (Dalakani {Ire}) and French Group 1 winner Cerulean Sky (Darshaan {GB}), with Champion Hong Kong sprinter Wellington (All Too Hard) featuring further down the pedigree page.

Rey Magnerio bursts through $1m barrier with brilliant G2 Caulfield Sprint win

A fast early tempo set by Zealously (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Philosopher (Zoustar) played perfectly into the hands of the backmarkers in Saturday’s G2 Caulfield Sprint, with Rey Magnerio (Magnus) unleashing a trademark late surge to claim a thrilling first-up victory and sail past the $1 million prizemoney milestone.

The Robbie Griffiths-trained gelding settled last alongside Geegees Mistruth (Wordsmith), but under a composed and patient ride from Jye McNeil, he stormed through the field and finished over the top of his rivals to land his first Group 2 success and ninth career win.

“I had to mainly rely on patience,” McNeil said.

“I was relying on him sprinting really well, which he did. Robbie and the team had him in fantastic order. He came into today with more weight than he did last year so to perform like that first-up was a great effort.”

Griffiths, who admitted he didn’t expect the win from so far back, was delighted by the finish.

“I was really happy with that! He is the Sale 1000 metres track record holder so I thought he'd be half a chance here,” Griffiths said.

“I was feeling confident after race 4 and 5 where a few horses came from the back and I knew Rey was going to do that. He came home pretty super. I didn't expect him to win - I thought he was too far back.”

Jye McNeil was full of praise of the Cranborune trainer.

“Robbie never backs himself in but he had him in perfect order. This horse has been so good to me and each prep he is just getting better and hopefully he is in for a good campaign once again.”

The six-year-old son of Magnus has now won 9 of 23 starts, with career earnings climbing to $1,124,000, and looks set for another lucrative spring. His first-up strike rate remains flawless at Caulfield, having won over the same trip fresh last preparation before running third in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate.

Pedigree notes: Rey Magnerio was bred by A & J Nitschke and sold privately, via bloodstock agent John Ford, to trainers Robbie Griffiths and Matt de Kock as a late two-year-old. A three-quarter brother to the Group III Naturalism Stakes winner Magnapal (Magnus), Rey Magnerio is the best of two winners from three to race for the Testa Rossa mare Luchardo, sister to stakes-placed Red For Lou (Magnus), who is the dam of Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Le Chef (Exceed and Excel).

Waitak crushes rivals in G1 Livamol Classic landslide

Waitak (NZ) added a third elite-level victory to his remarkable Group 1 record on Saturday with a devastating display in the G1 Livamol Classic at Ellerslie, putting a high-class field to the sword by 5.3 lengths in one of the most commanding wins of the spring.

The six-year-old son of Proisir was already a million-dollar earner and dual Group 1 winner after an impressive last start win in the G1 Howden Mile at Te Rapa, however he produced a career-best performance in his 13th Group 1 start, charging home from well back in the field to reel in the freewheeling El Vencedor (NZ) before being eased down inside the final 50 metres.

Waitak, who had travelled sweetly throughout, burst through the field with a sustained run from the 600 metres exploding clear under Craig Grylls to score the softest of wins. Despite a favourable draw in Saturday’s feature, Waitak was ridden cold by Grylls in his usual pattern, settling at the rear before unleashing his devastating turn of foot.

The win takes his record to eight victories and over NZ$1.5 million in prize money for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, and caps a near-perfect spring preparation: a luckless run when resuming in the G1 Proisir Plate (1400 metres), a booming finish to win the Howden Mile (1600m) second-up, and now a demolition job over 2040 metres third-up.

“That was pretty special to beat two horses as good as the placegetters and do it that easily,” said Scott.

“We got it wrong last spring, he had a hard run in his first start back and took a while to recover so we decided to give him an easier workload to start this season and it has really agreed with him.

“We were confident he was better for this race than he was when he won at Te Rapa.”

Scott and O’Sullivan will ignore any temptation to take Waitak to Australia for the abundance of rich races in the next month, instead sending him to the paddock on Monday.

“He deserves a break and then we will probably go TAB Mile at Trentham into the Zabeel Classic back here on Boxing Day and some other great targets over the summer.

“It is really exciting to see him becoming the horse we all hoped he might be.”

Pedigree notes: Waitak is a homebred for the late Colin Devine, now raced by his wife Jill, and was winning at Group 1 level for the third time on Saturday. The 6-year-old gelding is out of the Shocking mare Repo Bay (NZ), who won twice between 1400 and 1600 metres. Waitak’s fourth dam is the brilliant Desirable (Without Fear {Fr}), a 10-time winner including the G1 Newmarket H., G1 Sires’ Produce S., and G1 Lightning S.