Leo Schlink

Defying history and testing track conditions, rising star Ka Ying Rising continued an irrepressible advance through Hong Kong’s sprint ranks with record-breaking success in the HK$3.72 million Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 September).

Illuminating gloomy conditions in front of a crowd of 42,556, Ka Ying Rising (135lb) set a weight-carrying record in the season-opening feature to cruise to his sixth victory from eight starts, clocking a slick 1m 08.03s in good-to-yielding conditions.

The 4-year-old colt Charyn couldn’t win a race last year. He has been all but unbeatable during 2024.

Charyn got his season started early by European standards, making his first start this year on March 23. He won that day and has only improved in four races since. And after going winless in seven 2023 outings, Charyn has four victories and a good second from five starts during his 4-year-old campaign.

Anarchist, a graded stakes winner at Del Mar and Woodbine in 2023, will race outside of North America for the first time in the Group 3 OBS Korea Sprint in Seoul, Korea, this weekend.

The $941,400 Korea Sprint is run on dirt at six furlongs. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Anarchist was withdrawn because of injury from the BC Sprint at Santa Anita last October after pre-entries were announced.

By Declan Schuster

Pierre Ng has enjoyed a superb start to his training career and, ahead of his third season, the ambitious handler is not one for dwelling on the past as he chases riches both at home and abroad as the start of the 2024/25 campaign quickly approaches.

“I’m very comfortable with what we have done over summer. Hopefully we have a better season than last season,” Ng said.

By Leo Schlink

Preparing to resume a relentless chase of Douglas Whyte’s all-time Hong Kong record for the most wins by a jockey, Zac Purton acknowledges the daunting historical challenge facing Ka Ying Rising in the HK$3.72 million Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 September).

Paul Lally: 
R1 3-5-8-4 
R2 10-9-5-6 
R3 8-1-3-2 
R4 1-5-12-4 
R5 10-9-4-5 
R6 13-5-10-9 
R7 4-1-5-2 
R8 4-1-7-8 
R9 4-11-2-8 
R10 5-2-6-1 
Best Bet R3 N8 Beauty Waves 
Longshot R8 N4 U S S Constitution 
Play R10 QQP 2-5-6 

Unraced in 12 months, Giga Kick returns to the venue of his greatest win in Friday’s Group 3 Concorde Stakes at five furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.

The Concorde Stakes has a purse and position on the calendar that hardly befits a Group 3 race. With a purse of $670,300, the Concorde is an attractive prize, and is a key prep race for the world’s richest sprint – the $13.4 million Everest Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Oct. 19.

When the veteran gelding Lion’s Roar finished a close third in the Scone Cup in Australia in June, he narrowly missed a chance to join the list of qualifiers for the $2.01 million Big Dance Stakes in November.

Lion’s Roar has another chance to qualify for the Big Dance when he starts in Thursday’s $167,800 Wyong Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Wyong Racecourse.

The first two finishers of 33 races at tracks throughout the state of New South Wales are eligible for the Big Dance Stakes at a mile, which will be held at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Nov. 5.

By Declan Schuster 

It’s easy to see why trainer David Hayes is excited about Ka Ying Rising, the sprinting sensation who was last season crowned Hong Kong Champion Griffin and Most Improved Horse. 

Returning in Sunday’s (8 September) HK$3.72 million Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin, the four-year-old begins a campaign that Hayes hopes encompasses a HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) tilt.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, September 8, 2024)