Ka Ying Rising capped off a perfect season with his triumph in the Chairman’s Sprint

Regarded by many as the world's top sprinter, Ka Ying Rising was once again one of the standout performers on FDW Champions Day at Sha Tin

Ka Ying Rising confirmed his impressive speed once again / HKJC

SHA TIN, Hong Kong (Special to Turf Diario) – Hong Kong’s sprint superstar, Ka Ying Rising, capped off a record-breaking season with a dazzling victory in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1-1200m) at Sha Tin this Sunday.

Maintaining his undefeated record and achieving 12 consecutive wins, Ka Ying Rising defeated a world-class field in a time of 1m7s88/100, completing a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series and securing a HK$5 million bonus. He matched the feats of Mr Vitality (Snippets, 1995/96), Grand Delight (Hurricane Sky, 2002/03), Silent Witness (El Moxie, 2003/04 and 2004/05), and Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse, 2022/23).

Confirming his status as the world’s top-ranked sprinter, the 4-year-old son of Shamexpress won with total authority, never needing a whip from Zac Purton, who simply guided him to victory by two and a quarter lengths over the Japanese raider Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa), with Helios Express (Toronado) finishing third.

Breaking from stall 4, Ka Ying Rising tracked the pace set by Lucky With You (Artie Schiller), Lucky Sweynesse, last year’s winner Invincible Sage (Thronum), and Magic Control (Sioux Nation). Positioned perfectly behind the leaders, Purton let the star run at the 250-meter mark, effortlessly pulling away to secure his fourth consecutive G1 win, closing the final 400 meters in an impressive 21s78/100.

In addition to the HK$12 million prize, Ka Ying Rising earned the HK$5 million bonus for sweeping the three events of the Speed Series, which also included victories in the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1-1200m) and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1-1400m).

Trained by David Hayes, Ka Ying Rising also equaled another record, reaching eight wins in the season, a mark previously set by Beauty Generation (Road to Rock, 2018/19) and Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23).

The champion will now take a well-earned break, with an eye on his first international challenge: The Everest (G1-1200m), the world’s richest turf race, to be held at Randwick, Sydney, on October 18, with a purse of approximately HK$100 million.

Purton commented: “What more can you say? Every time he steps onto the track, he delivers something special, and he did it again today. He didn’t even change hands, he puts distance between him and the others very quickly. He’s getting better and better. Now he’ll have his break, and then comes the big race.”

On the race’s development, Purton added: “Everything went perfectly. He jumped well, and I was able to position him ideally. I kept it simple, let him do his job. He was brilliant again. It’s been a long season, and he was exceptional from start to finish.”

Hayes also praised the performance of his charge and Purton’s ride: “It was a great ride by Zac. He took the right position and didn’t want to get boxed in, so he moved a bit earlier. When you’re riding such a solid favorite, it’s best not to leave anything to chance. The preparation was perfect, the season was perfect, and it’s a relief that everything went well.”

The trainer added: “He probably got there a bit early and got a little distracted, but he did the job and won by a good margin. Winning the Speed Triple Crown is a great achievement, and he’s only four. The best is yet to come.”

On his style, Hayes noted: “He’s showing he’s not a one-dimensional horse. He can lead or come from behind. I love that he can relax during the race. The second-place horse is probably the second-best sprinter in the world right now, so the form held up. And Helios Express, what a great campaign he’s had as well.”

Ka Ying Rising will now be sent to Conghua for his rest: “He loves being there. He’ll enjoy a month of relaxation in the open fields before starting preparations for the next season and aiming for The Everest,” concluded Hayes.

In the lead-up to this race, Helios Express, trained by John Size and ridden by Hugh Bowman, had competed against Ka Ying Rising in six group races, finishing second five times and third once.

Later, Zac Purton reached his 100th victory of the season by winning the Class 3 FWD Insurance CCB (Asia) Handicap (1200m) aboard Masterofmyuniverse (Havana Gold), also trained by John Size.

“Reaching 100 wins is a really good number. In most years, that would win you the jockey championship. This year, we’re on track to surpass that, which reflects the great support I’ve had and also a bit of luck,” concluded Purton.

Daryl Timms (HKJC)