Latest news with #GroupTwoSprintCup
South China Morning Post
26-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Lucky Sweynesse owner hoping patience pays off in bid to thwart Ka Ying Rising's record attempt
Hong Kong's former top sprinter takes on the new king in Sunday's Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) on Champions Day Lucky Sweynesse's owners are hoping a year of patience will pay off in Sunday's Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) at Sha Tin. Owned by the Cheng family, Manfred Man Ka-leung's sprinter has been off the track since winning the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin in April 2024, where he beat subsequent Chairman's Sprint Prize winner Invincible Sage. Lucky Sweynesse himself won the 2023 Chairman's Sprint Prize in a record-equalling campaign in 2022-23, where he matched Beauty Generation's record of eight Hong Kong wins in a season. This year's warm favourite Ka Ying Rising is also aiming for an eighth win of a remarkable campaign, something Lucky Sweynesse's connections will be hoping they can play spoiler on Sunday. Lucky Sweynesse is just so, so good! 🔥 The speedster remains unbeaten through 2023 by claiming the Chairman's Sprint Prize & a HK$5 million bonus for winning the Speed Series. @zpurton #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 30, 2023 Patience has been key for owner Cheng Ming-leung and they will hope to be rewarded when their four-time Group One winner returns from left fore fetlock surgery. 'As a racehorse owner, patience is the key and we always have high hopes for our horse,' said Cheng. 'Though he had to be sidelined for a long period, he recovered well and all along his situation was very stable, and we kept the faith that he will return one day. 'I am excited to see him make a comeback on FWD Champions Day, the same meeting when he scored in the same race two years ago. 'Having said that, I didn't rush my trainer but full credit to Man – he and his stable team has done a great job to turn things around. The horse is fully recovered now and is ready for the challenge.' Lucky Sweynesse is not there to just make up the numbers, with Cheng buoyed by recent blistering trials. 'His performances in his recent trials were very impressive,' Cheng added. 'It looks the horse has a good heart and we are all delighted to see him coming back to his best. 'We always have high hopes for him and hopefully he will have a forward showing this time. I have confidence that he will finish in the frame.'
South China Morning Post
03-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Jockey Club may consider buying The Everest slot, while Team Romantic Warrior nears final hurdle
The Hong Kong Jockey Club would consider buying a slot in The Everest should the terms be favourable, chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has confirmed. Speaking after The Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising's Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) demolition job at Sha Tin last Sunday, Engelbrecht-Bresges did not rule out the possibility of the world's best sprinter representing the Jockey Club in the world's richest turf race. 'I think one has to see what the financial incentive is if we work with [the Australian Turf Club]. I think it's something we can consider,' said Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'But, it cannot be only a slot in The Everest. It has to be something which benefits us. Having a slot in The Everest would benefit the owner but not necessarily us.' UNSTOPPABLE! 🤯 11 straight wins for world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising as David Hayes' star is an emphatic G2 Sprint Cup winner at Sha Tin... @zpurton #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 30, 2025 There is likely to be a spot available for this October's A$20 million (HK$98.5 million) The Everest, with reports on Wednesday suggesting Star Entertainment will relinquish its A$700,000 slot. Ka Ying Rising's trainer, David Hayes, said in February that 'going forward I think Hong Kong sprinters will target The Everest because it's a logical race for them'. For Engelbrecht-Bresges, increased Australian participation in Hong Kong's flagship meetings – the Hong Kong International Races in December and April's Champions Day – would be a key pillar of any negotiations. 'In general, we discuss with multiple partners how we can create more international events,' said Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'If you could create links between a certain event in Australia and events here, then I think we could develop an ecosystem. 'I am optimistic that probably in the next six or seven weeks we will have a clear path around how we can globally work more strongly together, especially with Australia because Australian sprinters are a must [in Hong Kong's big races].' Hayes has long said he'll wait until after Ka Ying Rising's final run of the season before he gets serious about slot negotiations, with the world's best sprinter set to conclude his 2024-25 campaign in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) on April 27. Team Romantic Warrior nears final hurdle Romantic Warrior has hardly put a foot wrong during one of the most audacious overseas raids ever launched by Hong Kong connections, and with him every step of the way have been a group of Danny Shum Chap-shing's staff who wouldn't have missed it for the world. While many people have chipped in during the journey, which began in December, mafoo Chan Chung-yin and work riders Gary Lau Ka-tai and Andy Luk Wai-hin have been the mainstays. Some of Shum's staff have been on the road for nearly four months and they have ridden every bump of a journey that saw a blistering victory in January's Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) and a heartbreaking second in February's Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) on the dirt. Victory in Saturday's Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m) would provide the ultimate end to Romantic Warrior's Middle Eastern mission. 'They're all happy. They're looking forward to Saturday, then after two weeks quarantine they're looking forward to going back to Hong Kong,' said Shum. 'They've done a great job. As you can imagine, four months away from home is a big challenge for them. But it's a great experience.' The enormity of the efforts of the travelling brigade is not lost on jockey James McDonald, who has jetted in and out from Australia to partner Romantic Warrior. 'We can't thank them enough for the work they've put into this horse and they've left no stone unturned,' said the Kiwi. 'This is the last race of this little journey and hopefully all goes well.'
South China Morning Post
30-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
‘Foolproof' Ka Ying Rising makes it 11 straight with Sprint Cup rout
Ka Ying Rising is one win away from a perfect season after coasting to victory in Sunday's Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin. Sent off the shortest price of his career at $1.05, Ka Ying Rising tracked leader California Spangle in the run before powering to his 11th win on the bounce and seventh success of the campaign. 'He runs those times with ease,' said trainer David Hayes after Ka Ying Rising stopped the clock at 1:08.18 – about a length inside standard but well short of his own track record of 1:07.2. 'He's just got this group of horses covered and I knew he was in peak form. 'The way he looks and the way he's behaving, he is improving his manners – clearly his ability has been there the whole time. UNSTOPPABLE! 🤯 11 straight wins for world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising as David Hayes' star is an emphatic G2 Sprint Cup winner at Sha Tin... @zpurton #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 30, 2025 'He's developing into a more foolproof horse. Today he took the sit. He doesn't have to lead – he's all right with a sit and he's all right leading, so he's a beauty.' Back in the saddle for the first time since fracturing his toe in a race fall on February 9, jockey Zac Purton let Ka Ying Rising go upon straightening before easing him to a three-length victory over Helios Express, who ran second to the sprint sensation for the fourth time running. 'It's nice to come back and ride a horse like him. He's a pleasure to do anything with, he's really relaxed going to the gates and behind the gates now. He just does everything you want him to do,' said Purton, who finished the afternoon with a treble after also saluting aboard La Forza for Jamie Richards and Another World for Benno Yung Tin-pang. 'The leader today didn't go as fast as I was hoping he would go. I travelled a bit stronger than I would have liked and with the extra weight on his back, I didn't want to sit around and wait for the others, so I sent him for home early and he just let him do what he does. 'He was always cruising and he didn't give us a moment of worry and that's the good thing about him.' Ka Ying Rising will chase a fourth Group One win in the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) on April 27, while he can also complete a sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series after victories in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). 'Even Zac's starting to acknowledge the horse's ability now. He took a while but he's really starting to say that he's quite special, which he really is,' said Hayes. 'This was a stepping-stone race, where he had to give five pounds, and the next one is set weights and it's his grand final. 'There's a HK$5 million bonus for the [Speed Series] and, of course, it's an international sprint. 'It's what he's been set for the whole year and if he achieves it, it's the perfect season. Eight wins – not many horses have done that. 'He'll have an easy trial 10 days out from the race. Whether we have it at Conghua or Sha Tin will be decided, but he will certainly go up to Conghua and enjoy the facilities. He just recovers between runs so well.' Ka Ying Rising would draw level with Lucky Sweynesse and Beauty Generation on a record eight wins in a season should he snare the Chairman's Sprint Prize, where he is likely to face a rematch with Japanese speedster Satono Reve after that galloper, who finished third in December's Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), took out Sunday's Group One Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1,200m) under Joao Moreira at Chukyo.
South China Morning Post
28-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Zac Purton eager to return with a bang on Ka Ying Rising and Galaxy Patch
Seven weeks after fracturing his toe in a nasty fall, Zac Purton is itching to return to race riding when he reunites with Ka Ying Rising and Galaxy Patch on Sunday. The seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey, who also teams up with Ka Ying Rising's half-brother on Sunday, underwent surgery and was forced to watch on from the sidelines after breaking his left big toe in a three-horse fall at Sha Tin on February 9. 'It feels pretty good. It's a little bit niggly, but nothing to worry about,' Purton said of his toe. 'I've ridden in more pain before so it's not going to worry me.' After missing the winning ride on Ka Ying Rising in last month's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m), Purton hops back aboard the David Hayes-trained gelding in Sunday's Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m). Perfect tune-up for Ka Ying Rising! 😏 The world's best sprinter is first across the line this morning at Sha Tin in his trial ahead of the likes of Sword Point, Helios Express and co. 🔥@zpurton | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 21, 2025 The sprinter widely considered the best in the world bids for an 11th consecutive victory en route to his next Group One aim, the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) on April 27. He warmed up for the Sprint Cup with an easy trial win under Purton last week. 'He's a nice horse to be coming back for and I'm just looking forward to getting back out there,' Purton said. 'I've been on his back at the trials and in a bit of work. He just continues to please us and do everything well. He's pretty uncomplicated. He's pleased us in every little thing he's done here in Hong Kong. He's the perfect little racehorse.' Ka Ying Rising will again be a raging favourite when he clashes with six rivals – California Spangle, Helios Express, Lucky With You, Magic Control, Copartner Prance and Gorgeous Win. Purton's other feature ride on Sunday, Galaxy Patch, also has undeniable claims in the Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m). It will be Purton's first time riding Galaxy Patch under race conditions, with Pierre Ng Pang-chi's classy miler bidding for his first win since last October. 'I wouldn't say he's at the crossroads, but he's been a little bit disappointing recently,' Purton said. 'I rode him in that trial [last week] and I just wonder if he might be better with the blinkers back on, but he obviously doesn't have them for this race. 'He didn't seem to be that focused for me in the trial and he was doing all his best racing early in his career with blinkers on, then they took them off him to go up in distance. 'It's my first time riding him on race day and you get a better impression of what a horse is really like after you ride them in that scenario, so I'll learn a bit about him on the weekend. He's obviously a talented horse, we've just got to try get him going the right way again.' Galaxy Patch has won seven of his 17 starts but has trailed home star galloper Voyage Bubble on his past four runs. Another of Purton's nine rides on Sunday is Ka Ying Rising's half-brother Ka Ying Glory, who makes his race debut in the first section of the Class Four Plantation Handicap (1,200m). Also trained by Hayes, the son of Turn Me Loose has won his two most recent trials in fine style. 'He's obviously a nice horse. He feels like he's more of a 1,400m horse or a miler, but he's a really bold-going horse,' Purton said. 'He has to start at the 1,200m just to try and get the pace of the race to help him relax a bit, but he's been strong in all his trials. 'Even when he has pulled he's still kicked on, which is quite unusual – normally when they pull as hard as he does, they normally drop out. 'He's obviously got a fair amount of ability there, it's just a matter of hopefully getting him into the right rhythm in the race for him to show that.' Volcanic Spark, Bottomuptogether, With A Smile, La Forza, Sunny Da Best and Another World are Purton's other rides.
South China Morning Post
21-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Zac Purton ramps up injury return with trial win aboard Ka Ying Rising
City's top jockey is on track to ride at the Sha Tin meeting on March 30 Zac Purton ramped up his return from injury with a trial victory aboard Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin on Friday morning. Sidelined since February 9 after fracturing his left big toe in a race fall, Purton is on track to partner the superstar sprinter in the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin on March 30. 'I wouldn't say I'm fully recovered, but I'm a long way down the track,' said Purton, who returned to riding trackwork on Thursday morning. 'I feel pretty good. I'm at the track riding work and riding trials because I feel like we can go again. 'I'm gearing up for a return next week unless I pick up a ride in the Derby.' Perfect tune-up for Ka Ying Rising! 😏 The world's best sprinter is first across the line this morning at Sha Tin in his trial ahead of the likes of Sword Point, Helios Express and co. 🔥@zpurton | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 21, 2025 Ka Ying Rising travelled sweetly in the 1,200m dirt trial, sitting outside leader Sword Point before coasting past him late. '[Ka Ying Rising] just did what we expect from him this morning – he just keeps improving all the time,' Purton said of the three-time Group One winner. 'He seems to do it easier all the time. His mental attitude towards it, he seems to be handling it better all the time. He enjoyed himself. I'm looking forward to the races ahead.' While Purton is all but certain to miss this Sunday's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) meeting, he expects to have a full book next weekend, including Galaxy Patch in the Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m). One jockey who is riding in this weekend's Derby is Hugh Bowman, but not before he jets to Australia for Saturday's Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney. Bowman partners the Kris Lees-trained Rivellino in the Group One Golden Slipper (1,200m), while he also jumps aboard Celestial Legend for Hong Kong owner Boniface Ho Ka-kui in the Group One George Ryder Stakes (1,500m) and Mazu in the Group One The Galaxy (1,100m).
