Ka Ying Rising proved his class by securing his first Group One victory in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin, overcoming a rocky start to extend his winning streak to eight on the 8th of December.
The four-year-old, trained by David Hayes, entered the six-furlong contest as a favourite following a string of dominant performances, including a record-breaking run on his last outing. Despite high expectations, he faced early challenges under jockey Zac Purton but demonstrated his fighting spirit to fend off strong late charges from Helios Express and Satono Reve.
A Hard-Fought Victory
Ka Ying Rising broke slower than expected, with Purton urging him early to recover position behind pacesetter California Spangle. Moving to the front in the straight, the talented sprinter had to dig deep as Helios Express and Satono Reve loomed, ultimately holding them off to claim the win.
“It wasn’t smooth,” Purton admitted. “Something lunged at the gate, and he turned his head, so he was slow to step. He didn’t relax as well as he usually does, but the win was better than it looked. He’s a special horse and still got the job done even though he wasn’t at his best today.”
Future Plans
Trainer David Hayes outlined tentative plans for Ka Ying Rising’s next steps:
“We’ll see how he pulls up, but the initial target will be the Group One sprint in late January. After that, we’ll decide whether to step him up to the Hong Kong Classic Mile.”
Voyage Bubble Triumphs in Hong Kong Mile
Later in the day, Voyage Bubble added another highlight to the card by claiming the Longines Hong Kong Mile, his second Group One victory.
Ridden by James McDonald and trained by Ricky Yiu, the six-year-old tracked the pace comfortably before surging to the lead two furlongs out. While Soul Rush made a determined challenge, Voyage Bubble held on for a well-deserved win, improving on his second-place finish in the same race last year.
European hopes faltered, with French contender Lazzat finishing best of the raiders, while Harry Eustace’s Docklands and James Ferguson’s Ramadan failed to make an impact.
Both races highlighted the dominance of local talent at Sha Tin while setting the stage for further exciting campaigns ahead.