Hong Kong star Ka Ying Rising firms further for The Everest after smashing track record in Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin

Ka Ying Rising was already a hot favourite for The Everest but his priced has shortened after his track-record win on Sunday.

Ka Ying Rising has firmed into a $3 favourite for The Everest after his latest win in Hong Kong. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising, who David Hayes declared as “probably the best horse” he’s trained, is already one of the shortest-ever favourites for The Everest after smashing his own Sha Tin track record on Sunday night.

Ka Ying Rising is into $3 favouritism for the $20m The TAB Everest after he ran a stunning 1min 07.2sec for 1200m winning the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup despite being eased down well before the finish by jockey Zac Purton.

Hayes has trained many champions during his celebrated career including Better Loosen Up, Miss Finland and Jeune, but he ranked Ka Ying Rising at the top of the list after the gelding won his ninth race in succession.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

“He’s certainly the best sprinter I’ve had anything to do with and probably the best horse,” Hayes told Hong Kong media.

“He’s quite freakish what he does. The last 100m today, Zac switched the engine off, so in the two track records he’s broken, he’s actually eased him down the last 100m or 80m.’’

Hayes confirmed the Group 1 The Everest, run at Royal Randwick on October 18, is the long-term goal for Ka Ying Rising.

“It’s the richest turf race in the world, it’s at his distance, so it’s getting more realistic every month we go on,’’ Hayes said.

“We’ll really start thinking about a pathway towards it after the international race here in April (Champions Sprint Prize) then after that, he’ll probably just be set for the big sprint.’’

Ka Ying Rising has been at the top of TAB Everest betting for months and firmed into $3 on Monday morning.

TAB’s Tim Ryan said only champion sprinter Nature Strip, winner of The Everest in 2021, has been so short in betting for the Randwick sprint this early in the year.

🗣️ "The World's Best Sprinter is going to teach them a galloping lesson!" 🌏

Ka Ying Rising took flight at Sha Tin on Sunday, breaking his own course record to win a second Group 1 in the Centenary Sprint Cup... 🚀@zpurton | #SpeedSeries | #HKracingpic.twitter.com/HpMatZbQKi

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 20, 2025

“I had Ka Ying Rising at $3.50 after he won on Sunday night but I’ve firmed him again into $3 through weight of money,’’ Ryan said.

“I had to tighten him for the sake of liability as he accounts for 70 per cent of our entire hold on The Everest at the moment.

“But as impressive as Ka Ying Rising was in the Stewards Cup, I don’t think we learned a lot from his win. He’s just too good for the other Hong Kong sprinters.

“He still has to travel to Sydney and run on our tracks but he deserves to be this short for The Everest.’’

• Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Five to follow from January Cup day

Ryan also revealed Coolmore’s boom two-year-old Wodeton has firmed from $26 into $11 for The Everest after his brilliant Rosehill debut win.

Wodeton, trained by Chris Waller, thrashed his rivals by four lengths and immediately after the win, he firmed from $13 into $5 for the $5m Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.

But there has been continued support for Wodeton over the weekend and the talented colt is now a dominant $4 favourite for the Golden Slipper.

“We’ve had some consistent support for Wodeton for The Everest and Golden Slipper since his Rosehill win,’’ Ryan said.

“It’s only January and he was having his first start but there has been a spruik for this colt for some weeks and for once the spruik was right.’’

■ Sydney’s champion jockey James McDonald followed his four-timer at Rosehill on Saturday with a Sha Tin treble on Sunday including the Group 1 Stewards Cup on Voyage Bubble.

■ Hong Kong’s premier jockey Zac Purton finished the Sha Tin meeting on 1812 wins – just one short of Douglas Whyte’s all-time riding record. Purton could claim the record at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Originally published as Hong Kong star Ka Ying Rising firms further for The Everest after smashing track record in Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin