EMMA FREEDMAN: Ka Ying Rising faces The Everest challenge amid doubts over trial form
Conquering Everest, that of the mountain variety, requires supreme fitness, faultless preparation, a high level of resilience and a steely determination that cannot be easily dented.
The same can be said of scaling The Everest of the equine variety, the world’s richest race on turf.
But does the short-priced favourite, the Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising, possess all the necessary firepower in his arsenal to do so?
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The story starts in 2024 when the racing world first got a glimpse into the brilliance of the New Zealand-bred, Hong Kong-based sprinting guru, who’s trained and ridden by two Australian Hall of Famers: David Hayes and Zac Purton.
Who was this horse running fast times at every Sha Tin outing, putting streets on his rivals?
His winning streak continued to grow and his presence as a world sprinting heavyweight loomed large.
The allure of the $20 million The Everest was too hard to resist.
A deal was done to see him race for the first time on Australian soil and he was swiftly installed as The Everest favourite by bookmakers without any hesitation, quaking in their R.M. Williams at the prospect of how much he could cost them.
Well, the time has come to see how good this five-year-old really is.
In Hong Kong, he beats up on the same horses week in, week out, in his own backyard in front of a crowd of Ka Ying card carrying fans.
It’s all on his terms. It’s all habitual, while winning has also become a habit.
This Saturday is different. The build-up to this year’s edition has been second to none. Twists, turns, ups, downs. Oscar-worthy drama.
Much has been said of his Randwick trial 10 days ago that attracted a decent public crowd, including myself.
Intrigued as to how he would present, I went along with former Group 1 winning jockey Katelyn McDonald to take it all in.
Was the 1000m trial below par for a horse whose international rating has him as the world’s best sprinter?
Was he carrying too much condition, overawed by a new environment, lacking match day practice?
Or the flipside — a casual piece of work with no show pony antics, to not show their hand before the cards hit the table?
I am not convinced. This is no done deal. He might be the best rated sprinter in the world, but this isn’t a gimme. It’s a horse race.
To make the necessary improvement to win The Everest in 10 days would be some sort of effort by trainer and horse.
If there’s a man who can do it though, it’s David Hayes; a horseman from elite generational stock who is clear-headed, optimistic and thorough in his approach. The big thing in his favour is the horse’s pure ability. He’s very fast. That counts for a fair bit.
To add to the intrigue was the rumour mill going into overdrive on Sunday, with markets suspended, over fears Ka Ying Rising may be a scratching.
Hayes had a simple answer: “Fake news.”
The horse is fine and there is nothing to worry about. But still, the racing public haven’t debated the credentials or preparation of a horse like this ever before.
The Everest has revolutionised the spring carnival and made this race a must-attend event.
Huge money, the best sprinters, the wheeling and dealing of the slot holders and the constant whispers as far as 12 months out as to who will be selected and who will peak on race day.
Some might view the craziness of the past week as a negative for the sport and the race.
I couldn’t disagree more. Sport isn’t sport without theatre. It’s the same in any code.
The 2025 Everest, and its build-up, will go down in racing folklore as legendary.
The always anticipated barrier draw on Tuesday night, conducted on Sydney Harbour with hundreds of drones revealing the drawn gates, was a neutral result for Ka Ying.
Right in the middle of the field, he has such incredible gate speed that he will be able to jump and lob close to the lead, wherever jockey Zac Purton wants to go.
A win for Ka Ying Rising would be a victory for the race overall. An international victor only further enhances the race’s credentials and a want for the world to come and take us on.
I’m sure it would be a relief for his connections, and no doubt, one of the worst ever race results for bookmakers the world over.
A victory for an Aussie horse is one for the underdog. A signal to the world that the quality of thoroughbreds in Australia is still top notch.
If I were a betting woman, I’d be having my hard earned on the latter result.
