It was business as usual for Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin this evening (Saturday, 30 August). Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year (2024/25) strode confidently through another eye-catching barrier trial ahead of his highly anticipated return to racing next weekend (Sunday, 7 September) at the 2025/26 Season Opener.

A winner of his past 12 consecutive races, headlined by four at Group 1 level, David Hayes’ record-breaking sprinter clocked an unforced 56.45s over 1000m on turf by two lengths in first place as he prepares to defend his HK$3.72 million Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) crown at Sha Tin on Sunday week.

Two-time Hong Kong Champion Trainer (1997/98 & 1998/99) Hayes said: “Pleasure to watch. He’s so fluent, his action is perfect and, the most important thing, he’s mentally more mature this year.

“Last year if you watch his trials, he was jumpy and out of his skin a bit – too fresh. This year he’s walking around how you want them to walk around.”

Now a five-year-old, Ka Ying Rising will enter quarantine in Hong Kong for a fortnight straight after his first-up run in the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup as he prepares to fly to Sydney, Australia for his shot at the AU$20 million (approx. HK$100.34 million) G1 The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick.

“To run 56s with his eyes shut is pretty impressive. He’s a more mature horse now, so he’s always going to be heavier (body weight) than last year,” Hayes said. “He’ll come down with this trial, but I want a bit of wriggle room for travelling and, I think by Everest time we should have him at around 1,150 (pounds) – which is about 15 pounds heavier than last year.”

Zac Purton was aboard Ka Ying Rising as he crossed the line to the sound of a light cheer from the crowd in attendance at today’s Owners Carnival. Along with the mantle as Hong Kong Horse of the Year last season, freakish talent Ka Ying Rising was also acclaimed Hong Kong Champion Sprinter (2024/25) and Hong Kong Champion Four-Year-Old (2024/25).

“He (Zac) was very happy. He was thrilled with his manners behind the gates. He changed legs, which is the only criticism Zac has of him, he never changes legs. But when you don’t get under pressure, you don’t have to change legs. You change legs when you’re under pressure. Today, he thinks he changed legs – from Zac’s point of view,” Hayes said.

Prior to this evening’s trial session, James Orman and Derek Leung were celebrated as Hong Kong’s fastest on foot. The two riders landed the 2025/26 Jockeys’ Sprint in a bunched finish ahead of Brenton Avdulla and Ellis Wong (second), while Hugh Bowman and Jerry Chau were close-up in third position.

Lyle Hewitson excited to return in search of 150-win milestone

Meanwhile, Lyle Hewitson is ready to return to competition next Sunday at Sha Tin after recovering from injuries sustained in a race fall last June at Happy Valley, which cut his 2024/25 campaign short.  

Hewitson, 27, has been permanently based in Hong Kong since the start of the 2021/22 season. He posted 27 wins that term and collected a career-high 50 successes in 2022/23. Last campaign’s 29 victories lifted the South African rider to 149 career wins in Hong Kong.

Hewitson attributes his swift recovery to the offseason break: “I’ve done a lot of work and used the machines where I could to help. I think it’s all paid off in the end because when I went for my X-rays it all looked really good. They were predicting 10 weeks and it turned out to be eight weeks to the day that I was cleared to return to trackwork.

“I did everything from day one. Lots of physio work and then our physio here, Chris, he set me up when I got back to South Africa (in the offseason) with the practice he used to work at. I went there every three days and towards the last two weeks while I was still back home it was every three days doing physio and in between also doing Pilates.”