Ka Ying Rising completes perfect season with scintillating Chairman's Sprint Prize success
Ka Ying Rising put the cherry on a perfect season with another blockbuster display at Sha Tin on Sunday, completing a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series with victory in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m).
By landing his eighth success from as many starts this season, the world's best sprinter matched Hong Kong's single-season win record held by Beauty Generation and Lucky Sweynesse.
'What more can you say? Every time you come out here, he produces something special and he did that again today and he didn't even change his leg. He puts them away very quickly,' said jockey Zac Purton.
'The track has got a little bit of give in it today, so he's not going to run any faster if people are looking at the clock but he's run a lot quicker than the other horses today.
HE DOES IT AGAIN! 🚀
Ka Ying Rising makes it 12 straight wins, four Group 1s and a HK$5 million Speed Series bonus with victory in the 2025 Chairman's Sprint Prize... @zpurton #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/IvPSPH9pcn — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025
'Once again, he was brilliant. He's getting better and better. He's had a long season, he's been exceptional all the way through and it's a good way to finish it.'
Nicely away from gate four, Purton opted to take a sit aboard Ka Ying Rising in a race with plenty of early speed.
Unleashed down the outside, Ka Ying Rising rattled home with a final 400m of 21.78 seconds to beat Japanese raider Satono Reve by two and a quarter lengths and clock 1:07.88 eased down.
The John Size-trained Helios Express ran third, placing behind Ka Ying Rising for the seventh time this season.
'It was a great ride by Zac. He took the sit and didn't want to get pocketed and went a bit early, but when you're on a [$1.05 chance] I think you take the luck out of it,' said trainer David Hayes after Ka Ying Rising bagged his 12th straight win and fourth Group One victory.
'He had a perfect prep and a perfect season. It's just nice nothing went wrong.
'He probably got to the front a bit early and stargazed today but he got the job done and he won by a decent margin.
'It's a good effort to do the [Speed Series] and he's only four, so I think we've got a lot to look forward to in the coming seasons.
'What he's starting to show is that he's not one dimensional. He can take it up or take a sit. He did pull slightly mid-race but I love the fact that he can take a sit.'
Ka Ying Rising sent his career prize money past HK$60 million with victory in the HK$22 million Chairman's Sprint Prize, while he pocketed the HK$5 million Speed Series bonus by adding to his earlier victories in the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m).
While he was red-hot favourite and never looked in any real danger, Hayes admitted he still felt the pinch.
'It is a different feeling saddling up a [$1.05] chance. It normally doesn't get to me but I get a bit stirred up. I'll be just pleased now to chill,' said Hayes before heaping praise on his stable staff.
'The team has been outstanding. [Assistant trainer] Jimmy [Wong Chi-hung] heads it but he's got a lot of people under him that just play their role and you wouldn't be here without them.'
Ka Ying Rising will now have a breather before connections turn their attention to October's mega-rich The Everest in Sydney.
Treble for @zpurton and Masterofmyuniverse marks 100 wins this season for the superstar jockey! 💯#FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/E13fqdoqQb — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025
'He's going to go straight up to Conghua, he loves it up there, and he'll have a month to himself going out in the beautiful day paddocks,' said Hayes.
'Then we'll start targeting to hopefully have him ready to race at the start of next season with The Everest in mind.'
Ka Ying Rising's win was the middle leg of a treble for Purton, with the star Australian also saluting aboard Patch Of Stars and Masterofmyuniverse to move to 100 winners for the ninth straight season.
'It's a very good number to get to – most years it wins you a premiership. This year, we're about to go well beyond that but it means I've had a lot of support and a lot of luck,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Britney Wong locks horns with Zac Purton as dirt premiership goes down to the wire at Sha Tin
Britney Wong is enjoying a brilliant season on the dirt at Sha Tin. Photos: Kenneth Chan Narrow championship leader Britney Wong Po-ni and Zac Purton will resume their fight for the unofficial dirt premiership at Sha Tin on Saturday. Wong, 26, has been the woman to beat on Sha Tin's all-weather this season, posting eight winners from 58 rides on the surface. That accounts for 44 per cent of her winners for the entire campaign and she has rides in both of Saturday's dirt races as she looks to extend her narrow one-win lead with six dirt races remaining this season. On paper, things are made easier for Wong thanks to Purton only riding in one of the two races, but the champion jockey has the best chance of the pair thanks to topweight Fun N Fun Together in the Class Four HKU Faculties Of Dentistry And Social Sciences Handicap (1,200m). Favourite goes under! 😱 1.3 market elect Rising Force tastes a first defeat at his second start as Fun N Fun Together leads throughout under champion jockey @zpurton... @FCLOR_RACING #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 18, 2025 The Charm Spirit galloper was a last-start winner over course and distance, with Purton dictating matters to a tee off the front to get him off the mark at the 11th attempt. He is now 7lb higher in the ratings as a result, but he remains unexposed and he is drawn better than last time in stall five. In the same race, Wong also rides a last-start course and distance winner in Patch Of Watch, who is going for a third victory on the dirt. The Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained five-year-old routed his rivals on wet dirt four starts ago and returned to winning ways with another clinical performance last month. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Britney Wong wins the first two races! 🔥 Our apprentice grabs an eighth victory on the dirt course this season as she guides Manfred Man's Patch Of Watch to a second career success... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 18, 2025 Wong got to the lead soon after the start and increased the tempo on the turn into the home straight, with the pair soon kicking into an unassailable lead. She is unlikely to get the same luxuries here with Purton almost certain to either tackle her for the lead or sit on her shoulder, but with rain forecast and Patch Of Watch certain to relish it, that does level the playing field. The other dirt race on Saturday's card, the Class Three HKU Jockey Club Student Villages Handicap (1,200m), will give Wong the opportunity to snag an unanswered winner with Purton on the sidelines. She rides Chris So Wai-yin's Justify galloper Mask Rider, who has raced exclusively on the dirt in six local starts since joining So from Australia. Britney Wong has built up a great partnership with Manfred Man this season. That is no surprise, as he was a five-length synthetic winner at the Gold Coast in September 2023 and clearly relishes the surface. He made a winning local debut under Keagan de Melo over course and distance in January but has found life tougher since an 8lb rise for the comfortable success. In his past two starts he has been ridden by Wong but has struggled from wide draws, finishing sixth on both occasions. Drawing barrier four will help on this occasion and a 2lb drop in the weights is another positive. The business end of the season has been made much more complicated for Wong, who will miss the meetings on June 28 and July 5 due to suspension. The 10lb apprentice is seven winners away from losing her initial claim thanks to a brilliant first season in Hong Kong where she has ridden 18 winners so far.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
SCMP Best Bets: Punters can stand Witness to victory at the Valley
Sam Agars CHATEAUNEUF - R9 (1) Is racing in strong form and will enjoy the benefits of Ellis Wong's claim Jay Rooney SMART FIGHTER - R4 (2) Returned to form last time out with a close third and strikes a winnable race Trackwork Spy GALAXY WITNESS - R7 (1) Big run for second last start and looks set to break a long winning drought Phillip Woo SOARING BRONCO - R3 (8) Deserves another win after filling the frame in four straight Valley runs HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Shannon (Vincent Wong) FLYING TING LOK - R2 (1) Looks to have dropped into a suitable race and can score with Bowman aboard Racing Post Online SOLEIL FIGHTER - R6 (5) Had excuses last start and should bounce back at his preferred C&D Tom Wood GLORIOUS JOURNEY - R5 (1) Well rated for this assignment and trialled brilliantly
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Benno Yung confirms season 2024-25 will be his last as a trainer
Benno Yung Tin-pang has informed the Jockey Club he will not be making an application for a licence for next term, meaning next month's season finale will mark the end of his 12-year career as a trainer. Yung's decision comes just days before the Jockey Club's licensing committee was set to make an announcement on his future. At 66, Yung has reached the Jockey Club's compulsory retirement age and as he has not met the criteria required for an extension, it has looked for some time like this season would be his last. Yung will retire with his head held high after making a strong return to the track following a period of absence last year as he battled acute myeloid leukaemia. Since his return to the races in November, Yung has had his stable ticking over solidly with 17 winners. Trainer Benno Yung after a recent winner. After starting out as a jockey in Hong Kong before becoming an assistant trainer in 1991, Yung went onto post an impressive 37 wins in his first season training in 2013-14 before landing a personal-best return of 39 victories in the 2021-22 campaign. He sits on a total of 358 successes with 10 meetings remaining in his final season, 18 of which have come in 2024-25 so far. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Victorious at two of the past three meetings – including the triumph of $18.1 chance Aeris Nova in Sunday night's finale at Sha Tin – Yung will no doubt be keen to keep cashing in while he can. He has five runners at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, including Day Day Victory in the Class Four Sheung Wan Handicap (1,000m). Victorious twice at the course and distance in Class Five in recent months, Day Day Victory was sent off the $4.4 favourite for his return to Class Four on May 21, however he could only manage seventh. Alexis Badel sticks with the four-year-old for Wednesday night's contest and the French jockey has barrier three at his disposal aboard a galloper who will carry only 118lb. Justify colt Aeris Nova blasts away with the Sha Tin nightcap under Derek Leung for Benno Yung! 💥#SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 8, 2025 Phantom Cyclone, Zetta Force, A La Champ and Stormi round out Yung's hand at the midweek meeting. In other news, jockey Angus Chung Yik-lai will head to Happy Valley with a reduced claim after riding his 95th winner at Sha Tin on Sunday. Successful aboard the Tony Cruz-trained Star Satyr while claiming 3lb on the weekend, Chung will now only have the benefit of a 2lb allowance as he builds his career win tally. Chung has five chances to continue his push towards a century of successes on Wednesday night, jumping aboard Yung-trained debutant A La Champ as well as Happy United, Wah May Wai Wai, Embraces and Loaded With Fluke. Chung has picked up a handy one in last-start winner Embraces, who rises in grade for the Class Two Cheung Sha Handicap (1,650m). Embraces has been assigned just 118lb off a rating of 80, meaning Chung steps in for Jerry Chau Chun-lok.
