“He wasn’t at his best” but Hong Kong’s sprint sensation Ka Ying Rising got his first Group One win in the Hong Kong International Sprint on Sunday.
Starting a prohibitive odds-on favourite, and going into the race with seven straight wins in a career which had yielded eight wins from 10 starts, the expectation was he would announce himself properly to the world in this race, which he did if not quite as convincingly as thought.
The David Hayes trained, Zac Purton ridden four-year-old sat up close to the speed before taking control into the straight and was never in any real danger of defeat although Helios Express (Toronado) and Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) raised some eyebrows, coming quickly at the finish to get within a half-length.
“It wasn’t smooth,” said Purton on pulling up.
“Something lunged at the gates and took his mind off and he turned his head so he was a little bit slow to step.
“And then Victor The Winner just bore down my neck the whole way. He never quite relaxed as well as he has. He was working all the way.
“The win was better than what it looks. He’s a special horse.
“He wasn’t at his best today. He’s better than this but he still got the job done.”
Ka Ying Rising is the first winner for Missy Moo, a five-time winning Per Incanto (USA) mare and part of one of the most iconic families in the NZ Studbook, and one not noted for sprinting prowess.
She traces directly back to blue hen Taiona, the dam of Champion 3YO and Vic Derby winner Sovereign Red, Melbourne Cup winner Gurner’s Lane, with the family also featuring modern day superstar Mr Brightside.
Hayes has already mooted stretching his distances with the Hong Kong Mile in January having been mentioned, and even the 2000m Hong Kong Derby a potential target.
Ka Ying Rising is the third Group One winner for Newmarket Handicap winner Shamexpress who stood the 2024 season at a fee of $8,000.
He was bred by Fraser Auret in New Zealand, who had the horse in work at his property before an impressive jump out at Levin saw Lindsay Park broker a deal to buy him.
After a short stint at Lindsay Park in Victoria where his natural talent quickly shone, he was shipped to Hong Kong unraced and the rest, as they say, is history.
