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New Paper
27-04-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Ka Ying Rising to The Everest
The FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 27 delivered in spades on its slogan of a day to "celebrate champions", but probably more so in the HK$22 million (S$3.7 million) Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) with another smashing display by the World's Best Sprinter, Ka Ying Rising. Without taking anything away from the winners of the two other Group 1s, Japan's Tastiera (Damian Lane) in the HK$28 million FWD QEII Cup (2,000m) and surprise local winner (won in the stewards' room) Red Lion (Hugh Bowman) in the HK$24 million FWD Champions Mile (1,600m), a 12th consecutive win carved with such arrogance at the highest level by the horse David Hayes has already called the "best horse he has ever trained" was the real showstopper. Besides picking up a HK$12 million cheque for the win, the Shamexpress four-year-old also made a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series to collect a HK$5 million bonus with previous wins in the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Group 1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). Four horses pulled off the Triple Crown before - Mr Vitality (1995/96), Grand Delight (2002/03), Silent Witness (2003/04 and 2004/05) and Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23), the previous World's Best Sprinter, who was at his racing comeback in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, finishing a gallant sixth. The coronation of a new sprint king could not have been more emblematic from the way the $5.30 favourite was cuddled to the line by Zac Purton before being eased down to win by 2¼ lengths from Japan's Satono Reve (Joao Moreira) and Helios Express (Bowman). Hong Kong's superstar has taken all before him on home soil, but the biggest test - and payday - awaits next at his first overseas raid in the world's richest turf race, the A$20 million (S$16.8 million) Group 1 The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick in Sydney on Oct 18. "What more can you say? Every time you come out here, he produces something special," said Purton to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "He did that again today and he didn't even change his leg. He puts them away very quickly. "He can have a break now and the next one is the big one." Hayes said that Ka Ying Rising would now go straight to Conghua, Hong Kong Jockey Club's training centre in mainland China, for a well-deserved rest. "He loves it up there, and he'll have a month to himself going out in the beautiful day paddocks," said the Australian trainer. "Then we'll start targeting to hopefully have him ready to race at the start of next season with The Everest in mind." Two races later, the Champions Mile was decided in the stewards' room, but the Bauhinia flag would fly high again, either way. Two local horses fought out the finish. The John Size-trained Red Lion outbobbed favourite Voyage Bubble (James McDonald) by a short head for a shock $454 upset, but had to wait for stewards to dismiss McDonald's objection for interference in the last strides. The flop of the race was Australia's top horse Mr Brightside (Craig Williams), who faded to last place. The third showpiece was, however, an all-overseas affair, with Japan filling the first two spots with Tastiera ($18) and Prognosis (McDonald) with Bahrain's Calif (Adrie de Vries) third. manyan@
South China Morning Post
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Big-name raiders could hunt QE II Cup riches in Romantic Warrior's absence
Big-name raiders like Goliath, Dubai Honour, Liberty Island and Tastiera could look to pounce on next month's Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) riches in the absence of local superstar Romantic Warrior. With Romantic Warrior, who has won the past three QE II Cups, likely to head for a spell after the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) on April 5, and Voyage Bubble expected to target the Champions Mile, the lion's share of the HK$28 million QE II Cup purse looks destined to head abroad in 2025. Liberty Island and Tastiera, who filled the placings behind Romantic Warrior in December's Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), are among 13 Japanese entries for the race, while gallopers from the likes of France, Ireland, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia were also among the nominations released by the Jockey Club on Wednesday afternoon. The 31 overseas entries for the QE II Cup are the most of the three FWD Champions Day features on April 27, with the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) attracting interest from 15 raiders and 17 overseas gallopers in the mix for the Champions Mile. Japan's Lugal, the Ciaron Maher-trained Jimmysstar and Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald's Lady Laguna are among those who may set their sights on local hero Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, while Lucky Sweynesse, California Spangle, Helios Express and Howdeepisyourlove are also among the local nominations. A showdown between Group One superstars Voyage Bubble and Australia's Mr Brightside looms in the Champions Mile, while William Haggas' Golden Eagle (1,500m) winner, Lake Forest, Japan's Soul Rush and reigning champion Beauty Eternal have also been entered. 'We are delighted with the spread of entries and quality of interest in this year's FWD Champions Day features – including 56 entries from our overseas friends and 39 from Hong Kong, laying the foundation for another wonderful staging of our spring flagship meeting,' said Jockey Club executive director of racing Andrew Harding. Beautiful! 💕 But not for Golden Sixty who can only manage fourth behind BEAUTY ETERNAL in the G1 Champions Mile.#FWDChampionsDay # — World Horse Racing (@WHR) April 28, 2024 'The excitement that the world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising brings each time he races is electric and we cannot wait to see him tested once more against international opposition in the Chairman's Sprint Prize. 'Exceptional miler Voyage Bubble has gone from strength to strength across the last six months and he will face another exciting challenge next month. 'Our global champion, Romantic Warrior, has given us some incredible memories this year in Dubai and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so while we are disappointed not to see him go for a fourth win in the FWD QE II Cup, we are immensely proud of his efforts, and his absence opens the door for what shapes as a remarkably competitive FWD QE II Cup.'
