Hong Kong sprint star Ka Ying Rising has touched down in Sydney ahead of the $20 million The Everest (1200m), with trainer David Hayes declaring the gelding in excellent order despite shedding weight on the journey.
Hayes reported Ka Ying Rising lost around 10kg on the flight but quickly settled into his new surroundings at Canterbury, where he stretched his legs on Thursday morning.
“He’s in great order. He’s got some new shoes on, he’s settled in and he’s enjoying having a pick of the grass outside his stable,” Hayes said.
“He did lose twenty-two pounds – if the scales are correct and they’re calibrated the same because the Hong Kong scales may be different.
“But the most important thing is he’s eating his feed, he’s drinking and there’s a consistent weight in Australia. I’m not concerned about his weight. He is carrying terrific condition.”
Winner of 14 of his 16 career starts, including his past 13 in succession, Ka Ying Rising has been installed an odds-on favourite for the October 18 Randwick feature.
Hayes confirmed he would travel to Sydney to supervise the star sprinter’s barrier trial at Randwick on October 7, which he described as a crucial part of the preparation.
“He’s working on his own all the time in quarantine and that will be a bit of competitive company to trial against,” Hayes said.
“He won’t be out to break records but we will certainly let him increase the last 200 metres in the trial to stretch his legs out. That’s a very important day for him. I will be down there monitoring how the horse is coping and pointing the staff in the right direction.”
Hayes has been keeping tabs on local rivals, noting Joliestar’s impressive first-up victory in The Shorts (1100m) and Lady Shenandoah’s luckless run in the Concorde Stakes (1000m).
Still, he believes Ka Ying Rising deserves his place as the No.1 seed for The Everest.
“It’s not going to be a walk in the park but I’d say if his ratings are any guide, they all need to probably improve on their current ratings to beat him,” Hayes said.
If Ka Ying Rising can extend his unbeaten sequence to 14 in The Everest, Hayes confirmed a return trip to Australia next year would be firmly on the agenda.
“With that huge quarantine that he’s going through, probably if it worked I’d repeat next year and put him on a similar path,” he said.
For punters weighing up The Everest, now is the time to explore the best betting sites, compare leading bookmakers and check top betting apps to lock in value ahead of the Randwick showpiece.
