No star has shone brighter in the thoroughbred racing world this year than New Zealand-bred gelding Ka Ying Rising, and trainer David Hayes is hoping he can assume the mantle of the world’s best sprinter when he heads to Sha Tin on Sunday.
The four-year-old son of Shamexpress has been a revelation since making his debut for Hayes at Sha Tin in December last year, winning eight of his 10 starts, including the Gr.3 Sha Tin Vase (1200m), Gr.2 Premier Bowl (1200m), and broke a longstanding track record when running home in 1 minute 7.43 seconds in last month’s Gr.2 BOCJK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.
He will be looking to repeat the dose when he returns to the Hong Kong venue on Sunday where he will contest the Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), for which he will jump a short-priced favourite despite drawing barrier 11 in the 14-horse field.
Hayes has been duly impressed with Ka Ying Rising’s trajectory, and he expects him to continue on that path this week and into the future.
“He is very exciting,” Hayes said. “He has done everything we have asked of him. This will be his biggest test by far, but I think he will be a short-priced favourite to do it.
“I think he is a horse, as his name says, that is getting a little bit better and better. When you see him on the weekend, he is not what I call a furnished big sprinter, he has still got more improvement to come physically. (Although) he can’t run much faster than 1:07.
“Barring incidents, it will be an exciting day for the stable and all of his connections.”
It will also prove to be an exciting day for his breeder Fraser Auret, who will be watching in anticipation from his home in Marton.
While he is a Group One-winning trainer, Auret would also love to add Group One-winning breeder to his name, and from the first horse he bred to boot.
Out of five-win mare Missy Moo, Ka Ying Rising was born, raised, broken-in and initially trained at Auret’s property before he attracted plenty of interest from buyers following an impressive jumpout at Levin and a deal was subsequently brokered with Lindsay Park, and he swiftly made an impression with his new handlers.
“He looked quite natural (from his jumpout video), but not the best sprinter in the world,” Hayes quipped.
“He then went to the boys (sons Ben, Will and JD Hayes at Lindsay Park in Victoria), and the boys identified him as a very smart horse after about eight weeks. He then came to me, and it took me about six weeks and I knew he was very good.”
Hayes is developing a similar impression with Kay Ying Rising’s half-brother, Ka Ying Glory, who has recently joined his stable, having had an identical journey to Hong Kong as his brother.
Ka Ying Glory is Ka Ying Rising’s only other sibling, with their dam having passed away, and early signs indicate that she could have left another burgeoning star.
“He (Ka Ying Glory) has just arrived in Hong Kong, he is doing three-quarter pace,” Hayes said. “He is a different style of horse, much bigger than Ka Ying Rising, but he is a stylish mover and I am looking forward to galloping him in a couple of weeks.
“I don’t know if anything is as good as Ka Ying Rising, you shouldn’t compare him, but on his (Ka Ying Glory) movement, he has got the ability to win plenty of races in Hong Kong.”
Hayes is developing a great association with New Zealand-breds, as are his sons, with their flagbearer Mr Brightside continuing to aid the start of their burgeoning training careers.
“What happened when the boys were struggling at the start of their careers, instead of buying yearlings, we decided to buy some proven horses, just to have city runners, and he was bought to be a city runner and he has certainly eclipsed that,” Hayes said.
“He has won eight Group Ones, he has run second as many times and I think with the programme they have got in the autumn, if he can get up to 11 or 12 (Group One wins), he is in rarified air. He is pretty special.
“If anyone in New Zealand has got one like him, give me a ring.”
