Latest news with #RussellBaldingStakes
News.com.au
05-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer David Hayes reveals that sprint superstar Ka Ying Rising will have two runs in Sydney this spring
Hong Kong's super sprinter Ka Ying Rising will earn more than $10 million prizemoney in just over two minutes if he cleans up The Everest-Russell Balding Stakes double in Sydney this spring. With Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes revealing plans to set Ka Ying Rising for the two Sydney sprints, it is understood Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is emerging as a potential buyer for a vacant slot in the $20 million The TAB Everest, which has World Pool status. There are three The Everest slots that could change hands later this year – definitely The Star's slot, and possibly TAB and Australian Turf Club. If HKJC does buy an Everest slot, it would be a logical fit for them to select their own champion, Ka Ying Rising, the world's number one ranked sprinter. Hayes confirmed Ka Ying Rising will stay in Sydney for a two-race spring campaign that includes the world's richest turf race, the $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 18, boasting first prizemoney of $7,500,000. Then two weeks later is the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens which offers $1.725 million to the winner. In addition, there is a $1 million bonus for any horse that can win The Everest-Russell Balding double. Bella Nipotina became the first to win both races last spring. She ran 1m 8.76s on a soft 5 track in The Everest then raced away with the Russell Balding stakes in 1m 14.96s – taking less than 2m 24s to claim the mega-rich sprint double. Ka Ying Rising, which has won 12 races in succession, is already $1.90 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds for The Everest and is set to start the shortest favourite in the race's history. Nature Strip was $1.90 when he ran fourth to Giga Kick in the 2022 The Everest. Hayes said Racing Victoria's strict veterinary protocols led to his decision to keep Ka Ying Rising in Sydney after The Everest and not aim the freakish sprinter at the Group 1 Champion's Sprint at Flemington. 'The race (Russell Balding Stakes) after The Everest carries a bonus for The Everest winner,'' Hayes said. 'It means he doesn't have to do any extra travelling and doesn't have to go through the protocols again to run in Melbourne, so the protocols made my decision very easy. 'It's a rule that needs to be looked at and reviewed, but it's the rule at the moment so while the rule's in place, I won't consider Melbourne. I would understand if it's his first run in Australia but it's not. 'I would have dearly loved to have shown him off in Victoria – it's my hometown and it would have been great to run there, but the protocols aren't making it favourable. 'I'm not asking for any favours, but I think they should review the rule. I think it's overkill. 'The horse has to go to hospital to have the tests - normally healthy horses aren't in hospital – he has to travel which is another risk, have a day away from his routine feed and be tranquillised to have it done, so it's quite an ordeal.' Hayes said Ka Ying Rising left his Hong Kong stables on Monday for a spell in China after completing a perfect season, winning eight races including four at Group 1 level culminating with the Chairman's Sprint Prize last start. Ka Ying Rising has earned a lofty Timeform figure of 132 which makes him clearly the highest-rated sprinter in the world. Hayes said he believes there is enough time after the two Sydney races to get Ka Ying Rising back to Hong Kong to prepare for his defence of the Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin in December.
South China Morning Post
05-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Ka Ying Rising set to dodge Flemington in favour of second run in Sydney
The world's best sprinter will be set for the Russell Balding Stakes at Rosehill, with Racing Victoria's tough protocols prompting the move away from the Champions Sprint David Hayes has revealed plans to give Ka Ying Rising another run in Sydney after The Everest (1,200m), with Racing Victoria's strict veterinary protocols prompting the move to bypass the Group One Champions Sprint (1,200m) at Flemington. Rated the world's best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising will be set for the A$3 million (HK$15 million) Russell Balding Stakes (1,300m) at Rosehill on November 1 – two weeks after the world's richest race on turf, the A$20 million The Everest at Randwick. Adding to the lure of the Russell Balding Stakes is an A$1 million bonus if a horse wins that race after snaring The Everest. While Ka Ying Rising has to pass scans to depart Hong Kong for Sydney, Racing Victoria's tough procedures – introduced in 2021 after a spate of fatal injuries suffered by internationals in the Group One Melbourne Cup (3,200m) – would force the superstar to undergo further scans and assessments to be cleared to race in Melbourne. 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 — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025 'The race after The Everest carries a bonus for The Everest winner. It means he doesn't have to do any extra travelling and doesn't have to go through the protocols again to run in Melbourne, so the protocols made my decision very easy,' Hayes said. 'It's a rule that needs to be looked at and reviewed, but it's the rule at the moment so while the rule's in place, I won't consider Melbourne. I would understand if it's his first run in Australia but it's not. 'I would have dearly loved to have shown him off in Victoria – it's my hometown and it would have been great to run there, but the protocols aren't making it favourable. 'I'm not asking for any favours, but I think they should review the rule. I think it's overkill. The horse has to go to hospital to have the tests, which normally healthy horses aren't in hospital, he has to travel which is another risk, have a day away from his routine feed and be tranquillised to have it done, so it's quite an ordeal.' Fresh from 12 consecutive wins in Hong Kong, capped by his Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) success last month, Ka Ying Rising is the odds-on favourite in overseas markets for The Everest. Negotiations for a slot in the mega-rich sprint are set to heat up, with the Jockey Club a potential player in buying a slot in the race. Ka Ying Rising departed Sha Tin on Monday, with the four-time Group One winner set for a six-week break up at Conghua. Hayes also confirmed his Classic Cup (1,800m) winner Rubylot will continue his campaign in the final Group One of the Hong Kong season, the Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) on May 25. Hugh Bowman will again ride the four-year-old after his unlucky sixth to Tastiera in the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m). 'I think he could have easily run a place – he didn't get much luck. Hughie thought he'd stay a mile and a half very easily because he relaxes so well,' Hayes said. Zac Purton has been booked for the Champions & Chater Cup ride on John Size's consistent galloper Ensued, who was the first local horse home when fourth in the QE II Cup. 'He'll be a good chance. It looks as if it's going to be a stronger race than we thought it was going to be with the internationals coming, but he's honest,' Purton said.
News.com.au
25-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
David Hayes slams Racing Victoria vet protocol ‘madness' that could prevent Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising from running at Flemington
– with Alex Donnelly Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising would need to pass Racing Victoria's veterinary protocols to race in Melbourne even if he won The Everest. Ahead of Ka Ying Rising's bid for a 12th consecutive win in the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on Sunday, trainer David Hayes said it was 'madness' the world's highest-rated sprinter would need to undergo a compulsory CT scan in order to run at the Flemington carnival even if he pulled up well after the $20m The Everest at Randwick. Hayes said he would consider giving Ka Ying Rising another run in Australia if he was successful in The Everest with the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington the preferred option over the Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill. But as an international horse, Ka Ying Rising would need to be reassessed in Melbourne, which would include another CT scan, before being given clearance to race under Racing Victoria's safety standards. 'I would love to take him to Flemington,' Hayes said. 'I heard a rumour that he would need to be scanned again after The Everest to run in Victoria.' 'It is madness.' Hayes said Ka Ying Rising, who is a $2.30 favourite for The Everest, would be scanned before he departed Hong Kong for Sydney and another scan would be pointless. 'I haven't got my head around the all the protocols but we are happy to do the first scan before he leaves (Hong Kong) – tick, and you would think that would be enough,' he said. 'If you take a horse out of his quarantine for an unneeded scan and he is a last start winner, and the horses that he will be racing won't be (required to do it), it needs to be looked at. 'You don't have to scan a horse to see that it is sound.' All internationals wanting to race in Melbourne must complete Racing Victoria's tough vet procedures, which were introduced in 2021 after a spate of horse deaths in the Melbourne Cup. 'We make no apologies for setting a high safety benchmark with our veterinary protocols which were instituted based on industry and community concerns after an unacceptable run of serious injuries, particularly among visiting international horses,' a Racing Victoria spokesman said. Hayes, meanwhile, said Ka Ying Rising was 'four to five lengths better' than when he won the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint in December.
