The Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising completes rapid ascent with Group1 Hong Kong Sprint win

The David Hayes-trained sprinter scored his eighth straight victory and the biggest of his young career at Sha Tin.

Zac Purton guiding Ka Ying Rising to victory in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint. Picture: Vince Caligiuri-Getty Images

Champion rider Zac Purton declared Ka Ying Rising “wasn’t at his best” but the Hong Kong superstar still had his crowning moment on the big stage with victory in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.

Ka Ying Rising, trained by Australian conditioner David Hayes, had to overcome some adversity to snare his maiden Group 1 and extend his amazing winning streak to eight straight.

The son of Shamexpress was slow out of the gates and had to be stoked up early by Purton to find a spot outside California Spangle on speed.

He endured pressure from his outside from long odds outsider Victor The Winner.

But Ka Ying Rising’s class came to the fore when he needed it.

Ka Ying Rising ($1.10 favourite) burst clear in the straight and did enough to hold off the John Size-trained Helios Express ($12.70) and Noriyuki Hori’s Satono Reve ($15.85).

“It wasn’t smooth at all,” Purton said.

“Something lunged at the gate just before they went and it took his mind off it. He turned his head.

“He was a little bit slow to step and then Victor The Winner just bored down my neck the whole way.

“He never quite relaxed as well as he has and was working the whole way, never relaxed.”

World's Best Sprinter!? 🌏

Ka Ying Rising breaks Sacred Kingdom's 1200m record (1m 07.50s) set in 2007 at Sha Tin with plenty in hand, clocking an untested 1m 07.43s... @zpurton 🚀#LoveRacing | #HKracingpic.twitter.com/f1Ne1GdSGE

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) November 17, 2024

While the manner of his victory wasn’t as eye catching as many expected, it completed Ka Ying Rising’s rapid ascent and legitimatizes his claim on the ‘world’s best sprinter’ title.

Last start Ka Ying Rising had smashed the 1200m track record that has stood for close to two decades when he romped away with the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint in 1 minute 7.43 seconds.

His time of 1 minute 8.15 seconds was well outside that benchmark but it was the manner that he did it that impressed Purton.

“He is a special horse,” he said.

“He wasn’t at his best today, he is better than this and he still got the job done.”

Ka Ying Rising was shortened from $4 into $3.50 favouritism for next year’s The Everest at Royal Randwick on Saturday, October 18.

Originally published as The Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising completes rapid ascent with Group1 Hong Kong Sprint win