A “bigger, stronger” Ka Ying Rising is all set to kick off the season in Sunday’s Group Three HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m) as David Hayes plots a familiar path for his superstar.
Hayes’s nine-time Group One winner is currently taking on an identical preparation to last campaign, where he extended his winning-streak to an unprecedented 20 and won the AUD$20 million Group One Everest, and has made significant physical improvement since then according to Hayes.
Following an injury cloud after bruising his hoof in the stable following last Sunday’s impressive winning trial at Sha Tin, the world’s best sprinter is reported in perfect condition as he returns for the first time since defending his Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) title in April.
“He kicked the wall sometime after the trial, or the concrete feed bin. It was probably on Monday morning and by Monday eve, Tuesday for sure, he was back to normal. So he didn’t miss any work because he was down to swim,” Hayes said.
“Because he’s heading to Australia [for The Everest], he had to get all the scans and pass all the tests – so he got X-rayed, [CT] scanned, and Doppler scanned, and he passed all three. Then, on Thursday, I gave him his gallop as scheduled and he looked fantastic.”
Hayes has no concerns about the Shamexpress gelding failing to pass the standard Jockey Club vetting procedures ahead of Sunday.
“Every horse that races on Sunday gets vetted on Saturday and I’m not worried about it at all,” Hayes said.
The world’s best sprinter will head into his first assignment for the season at his highest weight ever, which Hayes believes will be an advantage for the six-year-old in terms of strength.
“From the Everest last year he kept improving. Every performance was a little bit better, a little bit better and he was just dominant towards the end of last season,” Hayes said.
“He was a bigger, stronger horse and he’s got a little bit bigger and stronger again. I think he’ll race at about 1,070lb – he’s never raced that heavy – and I don’t think that’s a negative, it’s a positive because with a sprinter he’s just getting stronger.
“Hopefully he kicks off in the form he left. He’s bigger than he’s ever been, and he’s first up at the start of the long prep, so you know there’s improvement left in him, of course.”
Sunday will see Ka Ying Rising line-up against a field of only five other competitors, with each of them carrying 115lb compared to his top weight of 135lb.
The field comprises of stablemate Tomodachi Kokoroe as well as Copartner Prance, Patch Of Stars, Lucky With You and Magic Control.
“He’s conceding the field 20lb, but he probably should be giving the field – on international ratings – 40lb. He’s protected by the maximum top weight, so it sounds crazy that he’s 20lb ahead of everything in the weights, but off his rating he should be double that,” Hayes said.
Hayes has been thrilled with the margins and times of both of Ka Ying Rising’s lead-up trials, as well as the ease with which he performed without changing legs.
“He couldn’t have trialled much better. He won one trial by nine and three quarter lengths and the next trial he ran 56.73s with a handbrake on, which just told me he’s right up to speed,” Hayes said,
“I know he was going easy in the trials because he didn’t change his legs. When he starts to really put even, he changes legs, so when he doesn’t change legs he’s doing it very easy.”
Hayes also credits the time off at Conghua with the fantastic condition that Ka Ying Rising is currently in, and believes it is absolutely crucial to his well-being and performance throughout the season, which is why Royal Ascot remains off the agenda.
“The process at Conghua, where he had a total spell and got a bit of time in the paddock, that’s unfortunately why he doesn’t go to Ascot,” Hayes said.
“It’s not about the money – it’s about the horse needing a break because he’s basically racing from Hong Kong’s first meeting through to May – with an international trip. So at some stage it’s nice to give him a reward and a break.”
While Royal Ascot will not be considered this season, Hayes is not dismissing the idea of a highly-anticipated potential match race against two of Australia’s premier mares; four-time Group One winner Autumn Glow, trained by Chris Waller, and dual Group One-winner Sheza Alibi, trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
“It’s just talking at the moment. I haven’t had a good chat with Mr. Leung [Shek-kong], the managing owner, and I want to talk to [CEO] Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges and the Jockey Club to see if it suits. The non-negotiables are he has to be back for the two international races,” Hayes said.
“And the other thing that has to happen is still a long way off, because they have to stay undefeated and so do I [between then and now], otherwise there’s no point of having a match race.
“So if in the next three or four rounds they keep winning and we keep winning, that’s a perfect world and it might be a wonderful thing. But if I don’t keep winning and they don’t keep winning, it’s not worth having. So, you know, I’m not going to lock into a match race until the international race is over.
“If it could be done, would there be a match race in Hong Kong on the way to Ascot for those horses, or could it be at Rosehill or could it be at Flemington? But let’s let them all be undefeated through the spring and then work it out.”
Given that Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi perform at their highest level over 1,400m to 1600m, Hayes would consider pushing Ka Ying Rising out to 1,500m at this stage.
“1,400 or maybe 1,500m, but let’s just see. He’ll have that 1,400m Group One [Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup] in Hong Kong, which is the second leg of the Speed Series, maybe somewhere in between that and the Champions Day. It might be an ideal time if they’re all undefeated,” Hayes said.
Closer to home, David and Prue Hayes’ daughter, Sophie and husband Adam Steel, have welcomed the arrival of their third child and first daughter this week; Hazel Prudence Steel.
“Sophie is doing really well, and Hazel. She’s a good size and very well behaved compared to her brothers,” Hayes said.
