Ka Ying Still Rising to Further Sprint Honours

A quiet gallop on Tuesday morning at Sha Tin offered another sign that Ka Ying Rising is on track for his next major assignment: the HK$28 million Gr1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) this Sunday, reports racingnews.co.nz. The extended picket-fence Shamexpress gelding, already the winner of 15 straight, is closing in on Hong Kong immortality as he eyes a 16th consecutive win – just one shy of the great Silent Witness. Zac Purton, who has partnered Ka Ying Rising throughout his ascent, was back in the saddle for a routine leg stretch that began in the sand ring before easing onto the main dirt track. Under the eye of local and international press, the reigning Horse of the Year moved with familiar purpose and calm. “He was a lot more relaxed this morning,” said Purton. “He came out into the trotting ring and, for once in a long time, he actually did trot around there. Normally, you can’t get him to trot, he wants to hack around and play up a little bit, but he went around there nicely and did the same thing on the track.” The gelding had shown flashes of over-exuberance during his grass gallop the previous week, but Purton saw none of that here. “He’s chilled and he’s a different horse this week, which is good.” A 400m breeze in 23.2 seconds suggested he’s exactly where he needs to be ahead of the Group 1 feature. Already this season, Ka Ying Rising collected the full HK$5 million Hong Kong Speed Series bonus in a clean sweep of the triple crown of sprinting. For Purton, no stranger to elite horses, the association with Ka Ying Rising holds a special place. “I’ve been very lucky and to think that the best one of the lot has come along now. I certainly appreciate it, and he’s such a lovely horse to work with as well, which makes it even more enjoyable. You’ve got to pinch yourself, really.” He contrasted Ka Ying Rising’s temperament with former stable titan Beauty Generation, who was far less accommodating behind the scenes. “Beauty Generation was hard to handle. He knew he was big; he knew he was strong, and he was aggressive. He injured his mafoos, I think that tells you what type of horse he was, but he put that aggression into his racing.” By contrast, Ka Ying Rising has shown a capacity to settle despite occasional pre-race nerves. “He’s just a gem, this guy. It’s just another race and we’re trying to win it, whatever happens beyond that happens.” Drawn awkwardly in last year’s Sprint and again from gate 10 last start, Purton is hoping for better luck this time. “I’d like to draw lower than higher… he’s due to get a nice good one.”