Hong Kong Racing
World’s best Ka Ying Rising goes for 19th consecutive win in Monday’s Sprint Cup
After setting a new record for consecutive wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse, Zac Purton remains supremely confident Ka Ying Rising (128lb) can extend his unbeaten streak in Easter Monday’s (6 April) HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin.
Having surpassed Silent Witness' previous record of 17 successive victories by landing a second HK$13 million G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), Ka Ying Rising returns bidding for a 19th successive win against six rivals at the public holiday Group 2 double-header, which also features the HK$5.35 million G2 Chairman's Trophy (1600m).
Acclaimed as the world's top-rated horse after the March edition of the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings was released, eight-time Group 1 winner Ka Ying Rising clocked 23s in a dirt course gallop on Monday (30 March) in preparation.
Purton said: "I can't see why he can't continue to keep doing what he is doing. I just take every race as it comes and for him it's all the same, right? Hopefully, he handles himself on race day, gets out of the gates clean and gets himself into the right spot – if those things happen, then he does the rest."
"We all know what he can do and we all know what he's about – he's a very straightforward horse," Purton said. "Everything is ticking over with him, and his trial was good. It seems like he's in good form and good spirits as he always is."
Ka Ying Rising steps from gate five under Purton, who rides Dennis Yip's Fast Network (123lb) in the Chairman's Trophy when the horse rises to a mile for the first time after connections opted against racing in Saturday's (28 March) G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m).
Purton said: "It's a good chance to see him over the mile as to where they're going to go on (FWD) Champions Day. His win last start was very good, but he had the right barrier, and the race was run to suit – it's exactly the way he likes to race.
"It's a bigger field than what I was expecting, but he's a quality horse and it's a bit of trial and error. Unfortunately, we couldn't go to Dubai, which is a shame, because as it turns out, I think he would have been very hard to beat."
Hayes saddles Storm Rider and Rubylot (123lb) in the Chairman's Trophy, and said: "Storm Rider will appreciate the drop in weight (135lb to 123lb). He's never been tried at the distance, but he gives me the impression with the way that he's finishing over 1400 metres that he'll run a mile."
Rubylot returned from injury in March, finishing 10th first-up, and Australian Racing Hall of Famer Hayes believes "he's improved significantly" ahead of Monday.
Purton, 43, heads to Sydney, Australia, for Saturday's (4 April) World Pool fixture at Royal Randwick, booked to ride Evaporate in the G1 Doncaster Mile Handicap (1600m) and Giga Kick in the G1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m), among others.
"It's good to be back on him (Giga Kick). I ran second on him in this race last year. They've done a really good job to get him back after such a long time off, and his runs this time have shown that he's heading the right way.
"He loves Randwick, which is a big plus, and it'll be good to get another look at the other horses close up as well, because obviously we'll (Ka Ying Rising) be going back down there in the spring to try and defend our title (in The Everest)," Purton said.
Purton is a triple Doncaster Mile winner with Sacred Falls in 2014, It's Somewhat in 2017 and Mr Brightside in 2023. He'll team with Ben, Will & JD Hayes, who saddle Evaporate.
Evaporate holds a nomination for the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m), and Purton said: "He ran well in the All-Star Mile (G1, 1600m), and then he was a bit disappointing the other day, I thought, but he gets back to a handicap where he should be better suited. It is going to be hard to beat the three-year-olds, especially Sheza Alibi, with no weight on her back."
Monday's (6 April) 11-race fixture at Sha Tin begins at 12.30pm with the Class 4 Lugard Handicap (1000m).
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