Ka Ying Rising on track for The Everest after strong build-up

David Hayes couldn’t be happier with a bigger and stronger Ka Ying Rising as the champion sprinter builds up his preparation for the Group One The Everest (1,200m) in Australia in October.

Hayes travelled to Conghua on Wednesday to oversee his stable star’s first gallop since completing his second straight unbeaten season with victory in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) at Sha Tin in April.

“I went up to Conghua on Wednesday and worked him and he’s in great shape. He’s bigger than he’s ever been – 1,170lb which is a positive. He’s getting stronger,” Hayes said.

“He was averaging between 1,150 and 1,160 last year. It’s hard to say he’ll be better, but he’s definitely stronger and I’m sure he hasn’t gone backwards, which means we’re hoping he can have another unbeaten year.

“He’s had two undefeated seasons in a row, so to do three would be an incredible feat, wouldn’t it?”

Ka Ying Rising will continue to build in his work at Conghua over the off-season, with the Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m) – which he has won the past two years – at the season opener in September pencilled in for his return.

The nine-time Group One victor and winner of a Hong Kong record 20 consecutive races will then defend his crown in the world’s richest turf race, the A$20 million (HK$108 million) The Everest at Randwick.

“He’ll do little bits of fast work every three days now until the track closes. Because of The Everest, he’s allowed to do slow work while the track is closed,” Hayes said.

“So he’ll do a bit of fast work the day it closes, a week of cantering and then fast work the day it opens. Conghua closes for a week and Sha Tin is two weeks, which is no problem because it’s the same for everyone, but Ka Ying’s going to The Everest and all his opposition are working every day at that stage.”

While Ka Ying Rising is Hayes’ major focus, the champion trainer hopes another star can emerge at Sha Tin on Saturday when brilliant debut winner Jedi Spurs tackles the final Griffin race of the season.

The precocious two-year-old blitzed his rivals by four and a half lengths up the straight on debut, backing up his hot trial form, and steps up to 1,200m in The Purves Quaich.

“I was thrilled he drew the rail. He looks a very smart, young horse, doesn’t he?” Hayes said.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing him around the bend, I think he should really accelerate off the bend very well.

“If he was a horse I was training in Australia, I would be full blown going for a Blue Diamond Prelude or a Golden Slipper lead-up. I wouldn’t say he’d win the Slipper or Blue Diamond, but at this early stage, I’d have no hesitation to run him in either.”

The final Griffin race of the season was set to be a mouth-watering clash between Jedi Spurs and Brett Crawford’s highly-touted debut winner, Rising World.

However, the latter was withdrawn before declarations after pulling up lame after his gallop on Tuesday.

Brenton Avdulla retains the ride on Jedi Spurs, who headlines Hayes’ eight Sha Tin runners as he bids to add to his seasonal tally of 53 wins.