As featured in May's edition of Hong Kong Racing World, New Zealand has long been a source of champion milers, middle-distance and staying horses with many Hong Kong legends of the turf purchased from the land of the long white cloud. But in recent years, Hong Kong has seen the emergence of the New Zealand-bred as a dominant sprinting force, with three of the world’s top-rated sprinters being New Zealand-bred thoroughbreds.
One of those none other than the superstar Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), who completed a record-equalling season with scintillating victory in the HK$22 million Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin during 4WD Champions Day.
Taking his unbeaten record to 12 consecutive races while defeating a world-class field in a winning time of 1m 07.88s. In doing so, Ka Ying Rising also completed a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series and collected a HK$5 million bonus, emulating the feats of Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) in 2022/23.
Trained by David Hayes, Ka Ying Rising also matched another record, equaling the most wins in a season – eight – set by Karaka graduate Beauty Generation (NZ) (2018/19) and NZB Ready to Run Sale graduate Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23).
“What more can you say? Every time you come out here, he produces something special and he did that again today and he didn’t even change his leg,” commented jockey Zac Purton.
Ka Ying Rising joins Lucky Sweynesse and Waikato Stud’s I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) as horses bred and sold out of New Zealand to make the world’s best sprinter leaderboard, a rare feat for a country who produces a foal crop of less than 3,000 annually.
During the spectacle of 4WD Champions Day, Hong Kong also saw the rise of Karaka graduate Patch of Stars (All Too Hard) with a dominant win for trainer Manfred Man. He was sold by renowned Ready to Run vendor and producers of Golden Sixty, Riversley Park, and purchased for $800,000 by Mr Yeung Kin Man.
Also in the winner’s circle on the night was New Zealand-bred Family Jewel (NZ) who won for trainer Caspar Fownes. The son of Time Test was purchased by Ryan Fownes for $75,000 from Woburn Farm’s 2022 Ready to Run draft.
The next opportunity to secure your future champion is NZB’s National Weanling Sale, set to take place at the iconic NZB's iconic Karaka Sales Centre on Thursday 26 June, while the anticipated Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs will take place 13 & 14 of November.
