David Hayes hailed Ka Ying Rising as “a bit special” after the exciting sprinter lit up the Sha Tin turf with a historic victory in Sunday’s Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m). No horse had ever won the HK$3.7 million feature carrying more than 130 pounds and Ka Ying Rising had never raced on a rain-softened surface, but that did not stop the Hayes-trained speedster stamping his authority on the opening day of the season.
The $2.3 favourite travelled with ominous authority in second and it was merely a question of when Zac Purton would elect to urge his mount forward. The four-year-old cruised to the lead 300m out and stretched clear under Purton, giving 20 pounds and a length and a quarter beating to the well-fancied runner-up, Beauty Waves.
Superb Capitalist trailed a further two lengths back in third. What a return!? 😳 Star sprinter Ka Ying Rising defies top-weight to land the Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup with @zpurton for David Hayes at Sha Tin..
. 🚀 #SeasonOpener | #HKracing pic.twitter.
com/bb9OqCijdc “He’s a bit special, isn’t he?,” Hayes beamed. “I was very nervous because common sense said a young horse carrying 135 [pounds] in testing conditions and giving a lot of good horses weight couldn’t win. But he did it brilliantly and I’m so proud of him.
“He defied logic. A lot of smart people said the horse he beat, Beauty Waves, would be hard to beat.” After Ka Ying Rising collected his fifth win on the bounce and took his.