Ka Ying Rising breaks Sha Tin record at 19th straight win

HONG KONG – Zac Purton and David Hayes were left to scramble for adequate superlatives on April 6.

That, after Ka Ying Rising continued an imperious reign with a phenomenal display of speed and power to win the HK$5.35 million (S$878,000) Group 2 Sprint Cup (1,200m), notching a fourth Sha Tin track record with a record-extending 19th successive victory.

Breaking the Sha Tin 1,200m mark for the third time with a searing gallop of 1min 07.12sec – despite running the first 300m of the race into the blustery southerly wind and being eased down late – Ka Ying Rising (Zac Purton) conceded five pounds (2.27kg) to six rivals before sweeping to a 4¼-length win over Helios Express (Hugh Bowman) and Raging Blizzard (Brenton Avdulla).

Continuing an amazing season, the son of Shamexpress followed his record-breaking gallop of 1min 19.36sec in the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) on Feb 22.

It was an equally extraordinary effort, prompting Purton to describe the display as “right up there” with the finest of the five-year-old’s towering performances as he lauded Ka Ying Rising’s acceleration as his “best” yet.

Settling second behind Stellar Express (Andrea Atzeni), Ka Ying Rising clocked 21.47sec between the 800m and 400m with successive splits of 10.75sec and 10.72sec, before Purton asked the world’s highest-rated horse in 2026 to lengthen stride.

Responding with a scorching 10.45sec burst to the 300m, Ka Ying Rising spreadeagled the field to lead by almost 10 lengths before Purton allowed the $5.30 shot to cruise to the line over the final 100m, improving his overall record to 20 wins from 22 starts.

“It (the win) is right up there, for sure,” said Purton, who also bagged a double with the Mark Newnham-trained Aerodynamics ($37) in the last race.

“The way the track is today with the strong headwind down the back straight and every horse that’s been uncovered around the circle – he was on the fence, but he had nothing outside him – has just fallen in a hole. That wind has really gassed them.

“So, he had to absorb that, and I suppose a few other horses had to as well. But things were there to try and unsettle him a little bit with the extra weight to carry, as well, coming back in distance but he’s just different.”

Asked if Ka Ying Rising, who first shattered Sacred Kingdom’s longstanding 1,200m track record of 1:07.50sec with a gallop of 1:07.43sec and then bettered it again two starts later with 1:07.20sec, could have gone even faster, Purton said: “I wasn’t out there to run time today.

“Of course, Stellar Express ran along and that set it up and I just got my horse into a lovely rhythm, and he let down so beautifully.

“It’s the best he’s accelerated at the top of the straight, so it was there for him to do it (run even faster), but I wasn’t looking for him to do it.”

Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising’s maturity is a key in his continuing development.

“Just behind the gates and everything he does, he’s taking it in so well, and to saddle him up, he’s a quieter horse,” said the Australian handler.

“He’s just really maturing and it’s been a golden year this year, but I think that he’ll have another one next year.”

Hayes was referring to Ka Ying Rising’s upcoming defence of the world’s richest sprint, the Group 1 The Everest (1,200m), at Royal Randwick in Sydney after his 2025 victory.

“I think he’ll be a better horse when he goes down for The Everest,” he said.

“We’ll just keep on doing what we’re doing because it’s working so well. It’s not stressing our horse and we’re hoping to have him for another couple of seasons, especially one more at the top, and he’s nearly two and a half years undefeated.

“Zac’s words, he said, ‘I think he’s getting better’. He just said ‘he loves taking a sit, if they go fast, he’s a better horse. The faster they go, the better he is’, those were his words.”

Unbeaten since February 2024, Ka Ying Rising will attempt to claim a second Hong Kong Speed Series sweep – and a bonus of HK$5 million – with victory in the HK$24 million Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) at Sha Tin on April 26.

Rejuvenated miler Lucky Sweynesse ($19) triumphed for the first time in 729 days by defying a brave My Wish in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1,600m) for jockey Derek Leung and trainer Manfred Man. HKJC