Photo: HKJC
Superstar New Zealand-bred sprinter Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) completed a record-equalling season with scintillating victory in the HK$22 million Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Taking his unbeaten record to 12 consecutive races in defeating a world-class field of 12 rivals in a winning time of 1m 07.88s, Ka Ying Rising completed a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series and collected a HK$5 million bonus, emulating the feats of Mr Vitality (1995/96), Grand Delight (2002/03), Silent Witness (2003/04 and 2004/05) and Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23).
Living up to his title of the world’s highest-rated sprinter, the four-year-old Shamexpress gelding was untouched with the whip by Zac Purton and was eased down to win by two and a quarter lengths from Japanese visitor Satono Reve and Helios Express.
Drawn barrier four, Ka Ying Rising stalked the speed, sitting fifth behind Lucky With You, Lucky Sweynesse, last year’s winner Invincible Sage, who finished fourth, and Magic Control.
Settling perfectly behind the speed, Ka Ying Rising had the race at his mercy once Purton eased him and accelerated at the 250m to cruise away to an effortless victory to snare his fourth successive Group 1 win, clocking 21.78s for the final 400m.
The sprinting sensation picked up HK$12 million for the win and scored a HK$5 million Speed Series bonus after sweeping the three-race challenge this season with previous victories in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).
Trained by David Hayes, Ka Ying Rising also matched another record, equaling the most wins in a season – eight – set by Beauty Generation (2018/19) and Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23).
He will now be sent for a spell to prepare for potentially his biggest pay day and first international assignment in the world’s richest turf race, the (approx. HK$100 million) G1 The Everest (1200m) at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse on 18 October.
Purton said: “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. He puts them away very quickly.
“He's getting better and better. He can have a break now and the next one is the big one.
"The race panned out really well. He began well and I was able to just pop him into a lovely spot with the way the race was unfolding. I just kept it uncomplicated and let him do his thing.
“Once again, he was brilliant. He's had a long season, he's been exceptional all the way through and it's a good way to finish it.
“He did what he had to do. The track has got a little bit of give in it today, so he's not going to run any faster if people are looking at the clock but he's run a lot quicker than the other horses today.”
Hayes also congratulated Purton on his ride.
“It was a great ride by Zac. He took the sit and didn’t want to get pocketed and went a bit early, but when you’re on a ($1.05 chance), I think you take the luck out of it,” Hayes said.
“I can’t wait to watch the replay. It’s all a bit of a blur now. He had a perfect prep and a perfect season. It’s just nice nothing went wrong.
“Zac said if they were going slow, he would lead and if they go too fast, he’ll follow. They broke 1:08, I think that’s about the fifth time he’s done that.”
Hayes said Ka Ying Rising had probably got to the front a bit early and stargazed but he got the job done and he won by a decent margin.
“It’s a good effort to do the Triple Crown and he’s only four, so I think we’ve got a lot to look forward to in the coming seasons,” he said.
“What he’s starting to show is that he’s not one-dimensional. He can take it up or take a sit. He did pull slightly mid-race but I love the fact that he can take a sit.
“The second horse is probably the second-best sprinter in the world at the moment, so the form came out. And Helios (Express), what a great horse he’s been this year. He just keeps putting his run up. I think he would be a multiple Group 1 winner if he was back home in Australia.
Hayes said Ka Ying Rising would now go straight to Conghua.
“He loves it up there, and he’ll have a month to himself going out in the beautiful day paddocks. Then we’ll start targeting to hopefully have him ready to race at the start of next season with The Everest in mind,” Hayes said
Going into today’s race local horse Helios Express, trained by John Size and ridden by Hugh Bowman, had raced in Group features in his past six races against Ka Ying Rising, finishing second to the champion five times and third once.
Purton again produced the perfect winning ride before posting his 100th win of the season in the following race – the Class 3 FWD Insurance CCB (Asia) Handicap (1200m) on Size-trained Masterofmyuniverse.
“It's a very good number to get to - most years it wins you a premiership. This year, we're about to go well beyond that but it means I've had a lot of support and a lot of luck,” he said.
