Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au
New Zealand-bred champion Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) climbed the highest mountain of his career and claimed a piece of racing history in the A$20 million Gr.1 The TAB Everest (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The world’s highest-rated sprinter lived up to his red-hot favouritism and became the first overseas-trained winner of the world’s richest race on turf.
Ka Ying Rising’s record spoke for himself when he arrived on Australian shores for his Everest mission. He was the winner of 14 of his 16 starts, including his last 13 in a row, and scored four dominant victories at Group One level in Hong Kong last season. He had effortlessly broken 1:08 on five occasions since October of last year.
But this was his first time away from the familiar surroundings of his Hong Kong home, and he was taking on an elite field of Australian sprinting talent that has a well-earned reputation as being the world’s best.
Some were quick to knock the Shamexpress gelding after he finished third in a quiet trial at Randwick last week, and that was followed by unfounded rumours about the horse’s well-being.
But Hong Kong’s World Pool stuck firm with their champion, backing him into $1.50 favouritism for his career-defining assignment. The superstar racehorse did not let them down.
“I think this will be wonderful for Hong Kong racing, he’s the pin-up boy there,” said expat Australian trainer David Hayes, who is these days based in Hong Kong.
“This is certainly the biggest thrill in my career. It’s been the longest 10 days in my life, I think.
“He blew out all the mothballs in his trial. A lot of people were very critical of the trial, but he still beat the winners of 20 Group One races and ran third without being really tested.
“I’m so relieved. Once he’d saddled up as calmly as he did, he had to really run below form not to win today, but I couldn’t say that, I couldn’t be cocky. I would have been so disappointed if he hadn’t won after saddling up so calmly.
“I can’t wait to really watch the replay and enjoy it. It’s a long straight at Randwick, isn’t it, when you hit the front with 300m to go. But I think he held on pretty well. I actually would’ve been shattered if he lost today. I think there’s more to come with this horse.
“Better Loosen Up was the last world-champion-rated horse I’ve trained, and this is the next one. There’s been a lot of good horses in between, but these are the two stars.”
Given a perfect ride by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising settled into a smooth rhythm just behind the Everest leaders Mazu and Overpass.
He loomed ominously at the home turn, then gave Purton everything he asked down that long Randwick straight. Ka Ying Rising pulled clear and won by just over a length from three-year-old filly Tempted and New Zealand-bred multiple Group One winner Jimmysstar.
“He had a beautiful run in the race,” Purton said. “Ethan (Brown, riding Jimmysstar) was trying to sneak up on my outside, but we just had to make sure we had the room. That was pretty easy because of the pace of the race.
“Overpass skipped early and I had to chase him. To my horse’s credit, he wasn’t letting him go. He got the better of me in the trial and we said that he’s not going to get the better of me in the race. We chased him down and coasted to the line.
“You become a bit emotional. You appreciate it more now, because the career is nearly over, but I’m so lucky. I’ve had such a good career and I’m so lucky to have this horse come along now.”
Bred by Marton trainer Fraser Auret and his wife Erin under their Grandmoral Lodge banner, Ka Ying Rising is by Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress, who himself was a Group One-winning sprinter in Australia in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
The dam of Ka Ying Rising is the Per Incanto mare Missy Moo, who won five races between 1200m and 2050m.
Ka Ying Rising was one of only two foals out of Missy Moo, who won the 2024-25 Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year award. She died in 2021 after producing a colt by Turn Me Loose, who has been named Ka Ying Glory and has been a placegetter in Hong Kong
