Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The record is just the beginning
After a month of hype around whether Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) would extend his winning streak to 18 and break the Hong Kong-trained record, in the end Sunday’s G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup was almost a walkover.
Ka Ying Rising bolted home by 3.5 lengths in a course record time of 1:19.36s to smash the previous course record of 1:19.92s. In his wake were two very good horses, Helios Express (Toronado {Ire}), who has run second to Ka Ying Rising seven times, and former Champion Sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse).
Perhaps the most exciting part of all, for racing fans, is that Ka Ying Rising is only a 5-year-old. With the longevity that Hong Kong horses manage, for example Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) is two years older as is Lucky Sweynesse, the future for fans looks incredibly exciting.
Ka Ying Rising (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“If we can place him conservatively, we hope to have him for another couple of seasons, that’s really exciting,” trainer David Hayes told hkjc.com.
“He loves a month between runs, so we’ll probably go for the Sprint Cup next (on April 6) and then we don’t have to train him too hard and babysit him into the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (April 26). Hopefully we can get another clean sweep of the season again with The Everest in the middle.
“He’s more composed than ever, he’s changing legs and you can’t ask for much more than he’s doing. He’s breaking track records and his last three runs, he’d have broken the track record if Zac had let him go.
“He’s breaking track records and his last three runs, he’d have broken the track record if Zac had let him go.” - David Hayes
“I’ve trained a lot of horses that have gone 742 days without winning, so to continuously win for 742 days is mind-numbing. It’s two years and the thing people don’t realise is that he was the (equal) youngest horse in the race today. They always think he’s the big boy bashing them up, but he’s actually the baby.”
David Hayes | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
His 18 wins in succession began on February 12, 2024, and he took his record to 19 wins from 21 starts with earnings over HK$129.8 million (AU$23.5 million).
On breaking the track record
Not only did Ka Ying Rising beat Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA})’s record, he broke the course record previously held jointly by Encouraging (Redoute's Choice) and Packing Hermod (Rubick).
“It’s a huge relief. I didn’t think the team could have had him better for today and I was confident that if the track was riding fast, he could break the (track) record. I didn’t want Zac sitting up in the last 100 metres, I said to him ‘let him run through the post and we’ll see how strong he is at 1400 metres’. He’s just a star,” Hayes said.
“I just thought for his worldwide ratings, I wanted Zac to let him go today and hopefully he can keep climbing up that incredible ladder that he’s going up. When you’ve got a horse as good as him, he’s the one everyone will be comparing the next big horse too.”
Zac Purton has now won this race five times, previously in 2013 on Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins) and three times with Beauty Generation (NZ) (Rock To Rock) in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
“I think he’s reached his level and it’s just a matter of managing him now and try to preserve that for as long as we can,” Purton said.
“He’s the horse of a lifetime. I just shake my head every time with the performances he puts up and the ease with which he does. I’ve just got to pinch myself, I’m so lucky. He’s just different – he’s in a league of his own. They’re very good horses that he’s racing against, and he just does it like he’s having a barrier trial and let’s hope he can stay in this form for another 12 or 18 months.
“To be etched in history now forever is part of my legacy, part of David’s and a part of Ka Ying Rising and hopefully he can continue on doing what he’s doing.” - Zac Purton
“To be etched in history now forever is part of my legacy, part of David’s and a part of Ka Ying Rising and hopefully he can continue on doing what he’s doing. We’re all enjoying being associated with him and I think everyone is enjoying watching him being successful as well.
“The horse deserves all the credit. He’s the one with the ability and he continues to step out, race after race, and blow good quality horses away and it’s very unique to see that.”
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Silent Witness reigned from December 2002 to April 2005 with seven Group 1 wins, and Ka Ying Rising’s two-year 18 victory stretch includes eight Group 1 wins.
Five-timer for Purton
While the whole night was about Ka Ying Rising, Zac Purton extended his impressive lead on the Jockey’s Premiership winning five of the 11 races on the card. His other wins were on Almighty Lightning (Dirty Work), Cool Blue (NZ) (Foxwedge), Aerovolanic (Frosted {USA}) and Cool Boy (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
Manfred Man-trained 3-year-old gelding Almighty Lightning impressed on debut over 1000 metres. His trainer purchased him for $50,000 from Lucas Bloodstock’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale draft.
Almighty Lightning is the first runner in Hong Kong for second season sire Dirty Work. Frosted (USA) sired a double at the meeting with Aerovolanic and All’s Well (NZ).
Trebles for Poon and Lor
Trainer Frankie Lor and jockey Matthew Poon both enjoyed trebles on Sunday, combining for a double with Embrace Aberdeen (All Too Hard) and Salon S (Zousain).
“For me, (Salon S) looked a bit too keen on the turn. He trialled behind Ka Ying Rising and was still very strong and keen. That’s why when I saw him at the turn, I thought maybe it was too quick of a time,” said Lor.
“I don’t want to push him too hard because he’s only a 3-year-old – I need to see the programme over the next month and a half.” - Frankie Lor
“I don’t want to push him too hard because he’s only a 3-year-old – I need to see the programme over the next month and a half.” Salon S has won all of his three starts and has earnings over HK$2.3 million (AU$415,000).
Originally sold via Inglis Digital in August 2023 as a short yearling for $17,000 by Daandine Stud to Mossvale Pastoral, Salon S went through Murrulla Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale a few months later where Lor Bloodstock bought him for $90,000.
Salon S is out of Listed Just Now Stakes winner Divine City (Ferocity) who has also produced Listed placed Hong Kong winner Viva Graciousness (Deep Field) among her six winners.
Lor’s other winner came with Harry Bentley-ridden Smart Golf (Needs Further), while Poon also saluted on David Hall-trained Power Of Vitam (NZ) (Proisir).
