Ka Ying Rising should silence the haters in Everest Stakes

Not even dubious social media rumors can hamper Ka Ying Rising’s status as the odds-on favorite in Friday’s Group 1 Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.

The 2024-25 Horse of the Year in Hong Kong, Ka Ying Rising will start away from Hong Kong for the first time in the $13.09 million Everest Stakes at six furlongs, the world’s richest sprint.

Ka Ying Rising has won 13 consecutive starts, four of which were Group 1 races from last December to late April. In his only start since April, Ka Ying Rising won a six-furlong handicap at odds of 1-20 at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Sept. 7.

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After his recent arrival in Sydney, Ka Ying Rising was the subject of internet rumors stating he was ill-prepared for the Everest. The situation did not amuse trainer David Hayes.

“The phone went into meltdown for six hours,” Hayes told the press. “It was fake news.”

What is genuine is Ka Ying Rising’s dominance, particularly in Group 1 races last December and in April that included foreign competition.

The winning streak left Ka Ying Rising the 4-6 favorite with bookmakers on Tuesday to win the Everest Stakes, which has a field of 12. The field consists of runners for owners who purchased a starting berth, which cost $447,790.

Ka Ying Rising, who will be ridden by Australian-born and Hong Kong-based Zac Purton, drew post 7, which will suit his stalking style.

Since the win on Sept. 7, Ka Ying Rising has been based in Sydney long enough for a workout from the gate, or barrier trial, at Randwick on Oct. 7. The trial featured seven horses; Ka Ying Rising finished third by a neck behind Linebacker, a Group 1 winner who starts in Friday’s Group 3 Silver Eagle Stakes at Randwick.

Hayes told the press he was not concerned that Ka Ying Rising did not finish first in the trial.

“I think he’s ready to rumble,” he said. “I know there was some criticism about Ka Ying’s trial and in simple terms I would have given his trial a seven out of 10 rating, but it was more an orientation for him.

“He has come on a lot since the trial and his weight has come back to his last-start winning weight.”

Ka Ying Rising weighed 1,153 pounds at Sha Tin on Sept. 7, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the highest weight of his career.

The Everest field largely consists of a different group of sprinters than last year’s race. The only entrant in this year’s field who started in 2024 is Joliestar, the 13-2 second choice in early betting. Bella Niptona, the 2024 Everest winner, has since been retired.

Joliestar, a 5-year-old Australian-bred mare, has won 7 of 16 starts, the most recent of which was the Group 2 The Shorts Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Randwick on Sept. 20, a leading prep for the Everest.

Briasa, second to Joliestar on Sept. 20, merits attention in the Everest on the strength of a win in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Oct. 4, beating Jimmysstar and Mazu, who are entered in the Everest.

Later on the program, Pride of Jenni, the 2023-24 Australian Horse of the Year, starts in the Group 1, $3.2 million King Charles III Stakes at a mile against the 2025 Group 1 winners Fangirl and Mr Brightside.

Half Yours tops Caulfield Cup

Half Yours, a Group 3 winner in September, has a low weight assignment and a favorable draw in post 2 in Friday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne.

Half Yours, the mount of Jamie Melham, will carry 115.7 pounds, much less than topweight Vauban at 129 in the field of 18. The winner of the $3.2 million Caulfield Cup receives a berth to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at two miles at Flemington Racecourse on Nov. 4.

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