David Hayes slams Racing Victoria vet protocol ‘madness’ that could prevent Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising from running at Flemington

David Hayes is eager to run Ka Ying Rising at Flemington if he wins The Everest, but Racing Victoria’s vet protocols could get in the way of that happening.

– with Alex Donnelly

Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising would need to pass Racing Victoria’s veterinary protocols to race in Melbourne even if he won The Everest.

Ahead of Ka Ying Rising’s bid for a 12th consecutive win in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on Sunday, trainer David Hayes said it was “madness” the world’s highest-rated sprinter would need to undergo a compulsory CT scan in order to run at the Flemington carnival even if he pulled up well after the $20m The Everest at Randwick.

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Hayes said he would consider giving Ka Ying Rising another run in Australia if he was successful in The Everest with the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington the preferred option over the Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

But as an international horse, Ka Ying Rising would need to be reassessed in Melbourne, which would include another CT scan, before being given clearance to race under Racing Victoria’s safety standards.

“I would love to take him to Flemington,” Hayes said.

“I heard a rumour that he would need to be scanned again after The Everest to run in Victoria.”

“It is madness.”

Ka Ying Rising and David Hayes (inset).

Hayes said Ka Ying Rising, who is a $2.30 favourite for The Everest, would be scanned before he departed Hong Kong for Sydney and another scan would be pointless.

“I haven’t got my head around all the protocols but we are happy to do the first scan before he leaves (Hong Kong) – tick, and you would think that would be enough,” he said.

“If you take a horse out of his quarantine for an unneeded scan and he is a last start winner, and the horses that he will be racing won’t be (required to do it), it needs to be looked at.

“You don’t have to scan a horse to see that it is sound.”

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All internationals wanting to race in Melbourne must complete Racing Victoria’s tough vet procedures, which were introduced in 2021 after a spate of horse deaths in the Melbourne Cup.

“We make no apologies for setting a high safety benchmark with our veterinary protocols which were instituted based on industry and community concerns after an unacceptable run of serious injuries, particularly among visiting international horses,” a Racing Victoria spokesman said.

Hayes, meanwhile, said Ka Ying Rising was “four to five lengths better” than when he won the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint in December.

Originally published as David Hayes slams Racing Victoria vet protocol ‘madness’ that could prevent Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising from running at Flemington