Ka Ying Rising makes it 11 in a row with flawless G2 Sprint Cup display
Delivering a chilling reminder of his extraordinary talent, Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) posted his 11th consecutive victory with a blistering display in the Sprint Cup (Gr 2, 1200m) to crown Zac Purton’s return to race riding at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The world’s highest-rated sprinter, Ka Ying Rising (128lb) demolished his opposition with familiar nonchalance to score by three lengths from Helios Express (Toronado) and Lucky With You (Artie Schiller) in 1.08.18 after being eased down by Purton with 100 metres to go.
After stalking California Spangle (Starspangledbanner) to the 400-metre mark, Ka Ying Rising emerged from the triple Group 1 winner’s slipstream and exploded away with a 10.54 sectional to the 200 metres to put the contest beyond doubt as Helios Express finished second for the fifth time this season behind David Hayes’s superstar.
“The leader [California Spangle] today didn’t go as fast as I was hoping he would go. I travelled a bit stronger than I would have liked and with the extra weight on his back, I didn’t want to sit around and wait for the others, so I sent him for home early and he just let him do what he does,” Purton said.
“He was always cruising and he didn’t give us a moment of worry and that’s the good thing about him.”
Ka Ying Rising’s latest triumph elevated the four-year-old into outright third place for the most wins in a row in Hong Kong behind Silent Witness (El Moxie) (17) and Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro) (16), snapping the deadlock he previously shared with Co-Tack (Top Role) and Beauty Generation (Road To Rock).
With 12 wins and two seconds from 14 starts overall, the gelding continues to thrive ahead of his final assignment of the season – the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (Gr 1, 1200m) at Sha Tin on FWD Champions Day on April 27 – before a probable tilt at the The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) at Randwick in October.
“It’s nice to come back and ride a horse like him. He’s a pleasure to do anything with, he’s really relaxed going to the gates and behind the gates now. He just does everything you want him to do,” seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey Purton said.
Clocking 21.88s for the final 400 metres, Ka Ying Rising edged to within a win of equalling the record for the most wins in a Hong Kong season and matching the feats of Beauty Generation and Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse) with eight victories.
Hayes said: “He jumped with them and really controlled the race. Zac thought he could’ve waited a bit longer but he just thought he’d put it out of the question and he did – it was just wonderful.
“Even Zac’s starting to acknowledge the horse’s ability now. It took a while but he’s starting to say he’s quite special and he really is. He runs those times with ease. The way he looks and the way he’s behaving, he is improving his manners – clearly his ability has been there the whole time.
“He’s developing into a more foolproof horse. Today, he took the sit. He doesn’t have to lead – he’s alright with a sit and he’s alright leading, so he’s a beauty.
“This was a stepping stone because it was a handicap and he had to give five pounds away but the [Chairman’s Sprint Prize] is set weights and that’s his grand final. It’s what he’s been set for the whole year and if he achieves it, it would be the perfect season.”
Back in action after suffering a foot injury on February 9, Purton took riding honours with a treble, also triumphing atop Jamie Richards-trained La Forza (Toronado) in the Class 3 Harlech Handicap (1000m) and Benno Yung’s Another World (Kermadec) in the Class 3 Lugard Handicap (1400m).
Fast Network (Wrote) continued an excellent season with a gaping four-length victory in the Class 2 Barker Handicap (1200m), slotting his fifth win from ten starts for Dennis Yip. Ridden patiently by Hugh Bowman, the four-year-old scythed through the field to earn a PPG Bonus of HK$1 million as well as the HK$1.59 million winners’ purse. Wrote (High Chaparral) snared a double when South Star won the Pollock Handicap (1400m) for Frankie Lor and Andrea Atzeni.
Ricky Yiu notched his sixth winner of the month when Mighty Strength (Time Test) landed the Class 4 Severn Handicap (2000m) under Matthew Poon before Cody Mo-trained Jumbo Treasure (Written Tycoon) led throughout under Derek Leung to claim the first section of the Class 4 Plantation Handicap (1200m).
Leung sealed a double when Yung’s Aeris Nova (Justify) won the Class 3 Homestead Handicap (1200m). Justify (Scat Daddy) colt, Aeris Nova pipped Crossborderpegasus (Rich Enuff) in the last stride to earn a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.
Jimmy Ting successfully unveiled promising talent Little Paradise (Toronado) who fought bravely to clinch the second section of the Class 4 Plantation Handicap (1200m) under Luke Ferraris. The three-year-old had impressed in trials and, after being driven to the front by Ferraris from barrier 13, showed determination to score.
Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
Breakthrough for Poon as Straight Arron lands unlikely Chairman’s Trophy
By Declan Schuster
Matthew Poon celebrated the biggest win of his riding career by capturing the Chairman’s Trophy (Gr 2, 1600m) aboard Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock) for trainer Ricky Yiu at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Savouring a first Group 2 triumph after previously winning at Group 3 level five times in Hong Kong, Poon expertly saved ground with Straight Arron to surprise by a head over Galaxy Patch (Wanjina) with Moments In Time (Lookin At Luck) a half length away in third place.
Owned by Karen Lo, who won last Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) with Cap Ferrat (Snitzel), Straight Arron is now a five-time winner in Hong Kong, headlined by the 2023 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (Gr 2, 2000m).
Poon, 31, is a product of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School. He’s won 261 races in Hong Kong, featuring a double today. His previous biggest conquests came with Jolly Banner (Lonhro) in the 2019 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap (Gr 3, 1000m) and 2020 Premier Cup Handicap (Gr 3, 1400m), the 2021 and 2022 Centenary Vase Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m) with Glorious Dragon (Teofilo) and Zebrowski (Savabeel) respectively, and the 2021 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (Gr 3, 2400m) atop Butterfield.
“That’s why I am so excited after the line because this is my first Group 2, so I have got to thank the trainer Ricky and the owner for giving me their good support,” Poon said.
“It’s so great I can win on him. Before the race, I already had a feeling I can get something today, so really lucky and excited.”
Poon joined Hong Kong’s race-riding ranks in 2017. Before returning to his home city, he commenced overseas training in Australia in 2015, where he was based with leading South Australian trainer Richard Jolly. Poon was a hit in Australia, riding 117 wins Down Under. He was crowned South Australia Champion Apprentice in 2015/16.
Sent around as an outsider at odds of 33/1, six-year-old Straight Arron settled second last from barrier two as Red Lion (Belardo) and Happy Together (Dragon Pulse) took turns in the lead.
Beauty Joy made a mid-race move and assumed the front at the 800m mark, taking charge as the field swung for home. Race favourite Galaxy Patch was blocked for a run in the straight and switched to the inside, rattling into second place with Straight Arron hugging the rail next to him. Moments In Time enjoyed a clear passage for third as Beauty Joy (Sebring) faded to fifth with Happy Together grabbing fourth position.
“It was an unbelievable result – a big surprise. The first half of the race didn’t really suit him at the tail and over the mile, I thought it will be a touch sharp for him. He still managed to run through on the rail with the jockey,” Yiu said.
“We were walking with the horse and he [Poon] said to me ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he finished in the first three’. I said ‘it would be a big surprise, especially over the trip’.”
Formerly a rising force who mixed it with champion gelding Romantic Warrior (Accalamation), Straight Arron’s win this afternoon – in a time of 1m 34.09 – is his first since late 2023. Since then, he has only placed once. His career-best effort across his 25-start Hong Kong career is a close-up fourth in the 2023 Hong Kong Cup (Gr 1, 2000m).
Yiu expects Straight Arron to next contest the FWD Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) on FWD Champions Day on April 27: “At this stage, most likely Champions Day over the mile. There’s only two options – 2000 (metres) or mile.”
The FWD QEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) is the alternative race on April 27. Poon won the opener at Sha Tin today in tandem with Yiu atop Mighty Strength (Time Test) in the Class 4 Severn Handicap (2000m).