Latest news with #CentenarySprintCup
South China Morning Post
26-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes sounds ominous warning to Ka Ying Rising's rivals ahead of Chairman's Sprint Prize
In an ominous warning to Ka Ying Rising's rivals, David Hayes has declared the superstar sprinter is 'four or five lengths better' than in December ahead of Sunday's Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) at Sha Tin. During his extraordinary rise to become the world's best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising was at his most vulnerable in December's Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) when clinging on to a narrow triumph over Helios Express and Japan's Satono Reve. While Zac Purton argued the win was better than it looked after Ka Ying Rising jumped slowly and worked hard early from gate 11, it was the closest the son of Shamexpress has come to being beaten since the first of his 11 consecutive victories. Since that maiden elite-level success, Ka Ying Rising has returned to his explosive winning ways with dominant displays in the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m), Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) and Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m). PERFECT tune-up for Ka Ying Rising! 🚀 David Hayes' sprinting superstar dazzles at Sha Tin this morning ahead of the Chairman's Sprint Prize... @zpurton 📍 Sha Tin, 27 Apr | #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 17, 2025 'I think we're probably four or five lengths better than he was won he won the [Hong Kong Sprint] and I think his form proves that,' Hayes said. 'I was very bullish in December, but the whole team feels he's a better horse now than he was. It must be remembered that he is only four years old and I think he is going into his golden year next year.' Hayes and Purton identified Satono Reve as the main threat in Sunday's HK$22 million feature, with the Noriyuki Hori-trained sprinter fresh from his first Group One win in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1,200m) at Chukyo last start. Satono Reve was only three-quarters of a length behind Ka Ying Rising in December when storming home late under Joao Moreira, who again takes the ride on Sunday. 'The Japanese horse was incredibly impressive in Japan and I think he's the obvious danger. I've got a lot of respect for him. I might be a bit biased, but I think we've got him covered,' Hayes said. Hayes and Purton were delighted when Ka Ying Rising drew barrier four – his best draw since February last year. 'I don't want a slowly run race to the first corner where a heap of horses are all in a bunch and I want to try to split the field up a little bit,' Purton said. 'I'll be using his speed early and make the other horses work a little bit if they want to try and cross him.' Purton will be bidding for his third Chairman's Sprint Prize triumph after booting home Lucky Sweynesse in 2023 and Ivictory in 2018. 'He's in good order and is ready to go,' Purton said of Ka Ying Rising. 'He's a pleasure to do anything with and if you could order a horse, you would order him. He's got the best attitude, he goes home and he eats and he recovers and he does everything you want. 'He cruises so comfortably on that fast speed and then he can accelerate and put them away off the back of it. And then he just gaps his rivals when he is placed in that scenario.' Danon McKinley, Lugal and A Shin Fencer join Satono Reve in Japan's three-pronged attack on Ka Ying Rising, while Helios Express is expected to figure in the finish again after five seconds and a third behind the superstar from six runs this term.
South China Morning Post
20-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Ka Ying Rising ready for new challenge: ‘the positive is he's a bit of a freak'
Elite speedster must overcome another wide barrier when stepping up to 1,400m in Sunday's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup by Sam Agars on Thursday, February 20, 2025 3:01 PM David Hayes with a spring in his step after Ka Ying Rising's Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) win last month. Photo: Kenneth Chan David Hayes is confident the 1,400m of Sunday's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup will present Ka Ying Rising with the perfect opportunity to 'really put his acceleration on show' despite the gun speedster again drawing wide. Lumped with barrier nine of nine for Sunday's HK$13 million feature, Ka Ying Rising will jump from gate eight or wider for the fifth consecutive time. 'He hasn't drawn a decent barrier for a while – it's an incredible run of bad barriers,' said Hayes. 'He's got a couple of questions marks – the wide barrier, he's never been seen at the distance and a new jockey, albeit a new jockey who's won on him. — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 19, 2025 'I would have loved a more inside draw but that's the way it is and he's got a bit more time to the first bend at the 1,400m. 'The biggest positive is he's a bit of a freak and he overcomes things.' After 10 wins from 12 starts at six furlongs to begin his career, including his past nine victories on the trot, Ka Ying Rising will tackle 1,400m for the first time and Hayes expects jockey Karis Teetan to keep things simple aboard the horse many consider the best sprinter in the world. 'He'll certainly be going forward and he stays out of trouble, which is good because sometimes when you've got an odds-on pop getting boxed in is a problem, but you wouldn't expect him to get boxed in,' said Hayes. 'He'll either be right up with the speed horses or just in behind them. 'Without him having run over 1,400m, I'm really confident. I think he can really put his acceleration on show. I think it's the ideal distance for him, to be honest.' Teetan, who partnered Ka Ying Rising to his first success in open company in last June's Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m), steps in for the injured Zac Purton. The Mauritian travelled to Conghua to pilot Ka Ying Rising in a trial victory last week and was on his back again at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning. 'Karis was very happy with him on Wednesday and he was extremely happy with him in the trial,' said Hayes, who sits atop the trainers' premiership with 31 wins. 'He's come down from China well and he's been eating very well, so everything is normal. He's in top shape. His build up is as good as it's ever been and I'm really happy.' Among those standing between Ka Ying Rising and a Group One hat-trick are the three horses who got closest to him in last month's Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) – Helios Express, Howdeepisyourlove and Invincible Sage. He also faces California Spangle, Beauty Eternal, Red Lion and Patch Of Theta, who step back in trip after running behind Voyage Bubble in the Group One Stewards' Cup (1,600m), and the returning Mugen. Looking ahead, Hayes confirmed DBS x Manulife Million Challenge leader Soleil Fighter will back up at the Valley next week after his fast-finishing third behind Hameron on Wednesday night. 'He's the leader of it and he'll be nominated for sure because we really want to win it for the owner,' Hayes said.
South China Morning Post
09-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Purton to miss Ka Ying Rising ride: ‘it's heartbreaking'
Hong Kong's seven-time champion jockey could be sidelined for as long as a month after Sunday's horror three-horse fall by Sam Agars on Monday, February 10, 2025 6:22 AM Zac Purton wins the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) aboard Ka Ying Rising last month. Photos: Kenneth Chan Zac Purton will miss Ka Ying Rising's run in the Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) on February 23 after breaking his left big toe in Sunday's horror three-horse pile up at Sha Tin. Sent flying into the Sha Tin turf after Legend St Paul's broke down and skittled his mount, Silvery Breeze, in Sunday's ninth event, Purton will undergo surgery on his toe on Monday morning. The seven-time champion jockey has been told he is facing at least four weeks out of the saddle. 'It's heartbreaking. I'll miss Ka Ying, I'll miss Galaxy Patch [in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m)], I'll miss Packing Angel [in the Classic Cup (1,800m)]. Hopefully I can get back for the Derby,' said Purton. 'The toe is broken and it needs to be realigned. They're trying to work out whether they're going to put in screws and a plate, or pin it. 'I've also damaged ligaments in the same ankle and the ankle is obviously very swollen. I haven't really had a chance to put any weight on it yet, so we'll see how that goes. 'It's obviously disappointing but it couldn't have been worse than what it was.' Purton had been in white-hot form before the tumble, racking up 20 winners in January and four already in February, including two earlier on Sunday's card. He has been in the saddle for all 10 of Ka Ying Rising's wins, including a run of nine in a row featuring two Group One successes. Purton is joined by Angus Chung Yik-lai, Keith Yeung Ming-lun and Vincent Ho Chak-yiu on the injury list after an incident-marred day at Sha Tin, with more information on that trio's condition expected later on Monday. Ho may have suffered fractures to his neck and shoulder region when falling from Oldtown race six, while Chung has bruising to his face and upper body after coming off Legend St Paul's and Yeung is nursing a bruised upper thigh after his mount, Lupo Solitario, was also caught up in the race nine carnage.
