Dash out, dash home — the preparation polished and the barrier draw falling perfectly into place.
Before the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) draw, David Hayes was relaxed about where Ka Ying Rising might land as he chases a 16th-straight win and another prize for Hong Kong’s reigning sprint king.
Barrier one proved the ideal result, and Zac Purton is eager to light up Asian racing’s headline event once more.
“He has come back even better,” Purton said of the gelding’s progress since his victory in The Everest (1200m) in October.
“He’s got more muscle and everything that we have seen since we have been happy with.”
Hayes and Purton both felt Ka Ying Rising’s last-start win in the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint (1000m) was arguably the most impressive of his career.
“His asset is his speed,” Purton said.
“He puts himself up on the pace and he doesn’t like it when they go slower.
“When he’s out there running along, he breaks their hearts.”
Al Riffa will attempt to rebound from his seventh-place finish in the Melbourne Cup, having drawn barrier two for the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Voyage Bubble claimed last year’s Hong Kong Mile (1600m) from a favourable draw, but barrier 12 adds intrigue as Purton looks to secure consecutive wins.
Trainer Ricky Yiu is content to leave the tactics to his champion jockey, having deliberately steered clear of a clash with Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
The Cup itself looks a one-horse affair, with Romantic Warrior dominating discussion after drawing barrier two in a seven-horse field. James McDonald’s mount will chase an 11th Group 1 triumph.
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