Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Seventeen for spectacular Ka Ying Rising
In Sunday’s G1 Centenary Sprint Cup, a win bet of HK$10 (AU$1.85) on Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) paid out just HK$10.50 (AU$1.95), but it didn’t matter to fans who flocked to Sha Tin to watch their local hero gallop home to win his 17th race in succession, and 18th career victory. The win puts him equal with Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}) for most wins in succession for a Hong Kong trained horse. Silent Witness achieved the feat in 2005.
“Whenever he (Ka Ying Rising) runs, I’ll be here. So I come for him, not for the betting,” local fan Daniel Tsui told scmp.com.
“This is a once-in-20-years chance to see history; it’s very hard to witness something like this in Hong Kong.” The victory took Ka Ying Rising’s prizemoney to HK$129,855,900 (AU$24 million), and the victory showed the power of a champion in bringing fans to the races.
“This is a once-in-20-years chance to see history; it’s very hard to witness something like this in Hong Kong.” - Daniel Tsui
“I’ll come again next time to see if he can break Silent Witness’ record,” said 29-year-old warehouse worker Cheng Tze-Hao. Ka Ying Rising will run in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup on February 22 next.
Ka Ying Rising won the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup over Helios Express (Toronado {Ire}) by 1.3 lengths, easing down from a four length lead at the furlong pole, with Fast Network (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) in third, another two lengths behind Helios Express. Ka Ying Rising covered the 1200 metres in 1:07.66, slower than his own 1200 metres Sha Tin turf track record of 1:07.20s, but was coasting to the line under jockey Zac Purton.
Ka Ying Rising (NZ) winning the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“What can I say. We’ve said it all with the horse. I never thought I would see (Silent Witness’ record matched), to be honest. It’s very, very rare what Silent Witness did and what Ka Ying has been able to do so far – and let’s hope he can keep going on with it,” Purton told scmp.com.
“It’s very, very rare what Silent Witness did and what Ka Ying has been able to do so far.” - Zac Purton
Trainer David Hayes is looking forward to pushing Ka Ying Rising out to 1400 metres next time. “The winning margin wasn’t probably the greatest, but it’s probably the most Zac has ever eased him down,” Hayes told hkjc.com.
“So, he had a very easy last 200 metres and he dominated as the market suggested he would. Just nice to see him do it.” Ka Ying Rising now has seven Group 1 victories to his name, and this was his second G1 Centenary Sprint Cup win. Hayes believes he’ll win the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup next start too.
“He had a very easy last 200 metres and he dominated as the market suggested he would.” - David Hayes
“Last year, he worked a bit and won it (Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup), and I think he’s a stronger, better horse this year. I think he will handle the 1400 metres beautifully. I’m really excited for the next race. It’s another dimension for him. Last year, he nearly broke the course record at 1400 metres, and I think if the conditions are right, he can go close again.”
Ka Ying Rising (NZ) winning connections | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Second placed Group 3 winner Helios Express has run second to Ka Ying Rising on six occasions and been third another three times. He is the winner of eight races, but keeps running into a champion in sprint company.
The Centenary Sprint Cup was the first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series, which also includes the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup and the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize over 1200 metres on 26 April.
Romantic Warrior wins first leg of Triple Crown
Hong Kong fans are blessed with tough champions who turn up over and over, and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) did it again in Sunday’s G1 Stewards’ Cup to begin his Triple Crown aspirations. The 8-year-old gelding has run in five different nations during his career, but this season will staying home to attempt to win the treble of the G1 Stewards’ Cup, G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000 metres on March 1, and the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup 2400 metres on May 24.
Voyage Bubble (Deep Field), who became only the second horse in history to complete the trio of races last season, could only manage third this year, with Group 1 winning former Champion Sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Swyenessse) splitting the pair.
“His demeanor, his courage, his will to win, it’s just in spades,” jockey James McDonald told hkjc.com.
“It’s incredible. I say it every time, but when he steps out, it’s a privilege to ride such a horse of his calibre.” Romantic Warrior has won 12 Group 1 races globally and is the world’s richest racehorse with earnings over AU$42 million.
“It’s a privilege to ride such a horse of his calibre.” - James McDonald
“He began really well, and I thought it was going to be pretty smoothly run. But a few picked up, which was quite surprising, and he was always in a nice rhythm. Gate seven out of nine gave us that opportunity to not force our hand and wait until it settled down, and I knew Voyage Bubble was three deep, and I wasn’t going to give him a cart.
“He’s a warrior. It’s a long way to go, but, yeah, the first one’s ticked off.”
Romantic Warrior winning the G1 Stewards’ Cup | Image courtesy The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Trainer Danny Shum thinks the distance range of the Triple Crown, from the mile of the G1 Stewards’ Cup to the mile and a half of the final race, is no problem for his champion. “I’m so proud of Romantic Warrior,” Shum said.
“He can handle 1600 (metres), 2000, even 2400 – he can handle any distance. We all know 2000 is his best trip, so no problem there. I’ll just keep him happy, keep him healthy – it’s a very easy job for me.”
“I’ll just keep him happy, keep him healthy – it’s a very easy job for me.” - Danny Shum
Romantic Warrior has won 21 of his 28 starts, with another five second placings. He was sold by Corduff Stud in Ireland for 300,000 gns (AU$623,000) to the Hong Kong Jockey Club at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 2), and on-sold by the club at their International Sale in 2021 for HK$4.8 million (AU$890,000) to owner Peter Lau.
Danny Shum and team with James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Trebles for Hayes, Purton, and Lui on the card
David Hayes and Francis Lui both recorded training trebles on the Sha Tin card on Sunday, while jockey Zac Purton also rode a treble.
Hayes won with Ka Ying Rising, Hugh Bowman-ridden Turin Champions (Harry Angel {Ire}), and Keith Yeung-ridden Positive Smile (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}. The treble took Hayes to 30 wins for the season, third on the Trainer’s Premiership behind Mark Newnham with 33 and Caspar Fownes on 31.
David Hayes | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Purton won on Ka Ying Rising, Ricky Yiu’s Lucky Eight (Pride Of Dubai), and Manfred Man’s Happy Index (I Am Invincible). He has 68 wins for the season, with Hugh Bowman second on the Premiership table with 28.
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Lui won with debutant 3-year-old gelding Gold Patch (NZ) (Ardrossan), ridden by James McDonald, while Dylan Mo rode Winning Wings (NZ) (Preferment {NZ}) to victory, and the treble came with Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) ridden by Vincent Ho.
Francis Lui | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“(Gold Patch) is a nice horse. You can see he has a big, smooth stride,” Lui told scmp.com. “He’s still a baby – even the jockey came back and said that. (McDonald) said he’s a good horse and he liked him a lot.”
Gold Patch won two trials in New Zealand as a 2-year-old before being exported to Hong Kong where he won three more trials ahead of Sunday’s debutant victory. Originally sold by Landsdowne Park at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$155,000 to Lilywhites Lodge, he was pinhooked by his buyers at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, where KM Yeung spent NZ$250,000 to acquire him. He earned HK$655,000 (AU$121,000) with his debut win.
He’s from the second crop of Redoute’s Choice son Ardrossan who has seven stakes winners from 93 runners. He’s the second foal, and first winner for La Donna (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), giving Per Incanto a double on the card as a broodmare sire with Ka Ying Rising.
La Donna has a Banquo yearling colt and an Ardrossan colt foal. This is the family of G1 JJ Atkins Plate winner Reigning To Win (King Of Kings {Ire}).
Double for I Am Invincible
Francis Lui-trained Invincible Shield and Manfred Man-trained Happy Index gave I Am Invincible a double on the Sha Tin card.
It was the second start in Hong Kong for Happy Index, who won twice in Australia when named Maori Chief. The 4-year-old gelding is out of Group 2 winner and G1 Oakleigh Plate-placed Heatherly (Lonhro) making him a half-brother to G3 Canonbury Stakes winner Red Resistance (Russian Revolution). Heatherly, purchased by Go Bloodstock at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $1.6 million, has a yearling filly by Exceed And Excel and a colt foal by Extreme Choice. Her 2-year-old colt has been named War Banner (Snitzel).
Invincible Shield continues to perform well in Hong Kong, clocking up his fourth victory in the territory. “It was a nice win. I think 1200 metres is his best. He would need to improve to go to the next level,” Lui said.
Unplaced in his first three starts in Australia, including finishing almost last in the G2 Bill Stutt Stakes at his third start, Invincible Shield then won four in succession in Brisbane before heading to Hong Kong.
Eleventh on debut in the region, he then won three in succession, but has mixed his form in tougher company since then. Sunday’s victory took his record to eight wins, four in Australia and four in Hong Kong, netting him HK$9 million (AU$1.6 million) to go with his $150,000 earned in Australia.
He was sold by Yarraman Park Stud to Baystone Farm at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $480,000 and sold privately to Hong Kong later. A full brother to stakes placed Tardelli, his dam Pierro Moss (Pierro) is an unraced daughter of dual Listed winner Upon This Rock (Fastnet Rock). Her Hellbent yearling colt is Lot 16 in the upcoming Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
