David Hayes is “very confident” Ka Ying Rising is ready to fire in the G1 The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick in Sydney, Australia on Saturday (18 October) after the champion sprinter breezed through fast work this morning (Monday, 13 October).

Dismissing rumours Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year was in doubt for the AU$20 million (approx. HK$101 million) feature, Hayes was delighted with Ka Ying Rising’s gallop at Canterbury Racecourse.

“We’re really happy with him. He just went out on the beautiful Canterbury track this morning and ran home (his last 600m) in 38 (seconds) under a nice hold. His recovery was excellent,” Hayes said, pointing to the gelding’s improvement since last week’s third placing in a 1000m barrier trial at Randwick.

“I think he’s really improved from that trial. The idea of the trial was to bring him on and I think it has.

“I think he’s ready to rumble.  I know there was some criticism about Ka Ying’s trial and in simple terms I would have given his trial a seven out of 10 rating, but it was more an orientation for him. He has come on a lot since the trial and his weight has come back to his last-start winning weight.

“It (barrier trial) was his first competitive work with other horses for a month and that is why I knew he would come on so much from the trial. If he was trialling today, he would get a 10 out of 10. I’m very confident we have him at his best and it will take a good horse to beat him on Saturday.”

Hayes was perturbed at the weekend at reports the world’s highest-rated sprinter had fitness and eating issues and was in doubt for The Everest.

Hayes said a media commentator’s X account “had been hacked and sent out some false information, which basically had him scratched – lame behind and not eating.”

“That’s not the horse I’ve been training, anyway,” Hayes said. “The phone went into meltdown for probably six hours. It was fake news.

“He’s (Ka Ying Rising) made the progression we thought he would and we’re really expecting a bold showing. We’re really happy and I love the (dry) weather pattern as well. A nice, firm track will only help.

“The Canterbury facilities are first-class. He normally works with 100 horses on the track at any time, so he’s incredibly chilled out and relaxed here. His feed intake is great and his weight is right in check, so I think it’s all ready to go.”

Hayes hopes Ka Ying Rising draws near to the inside for the world’s richest turf race, which carries a winner’s purse of AU$7 million (approx. HK$35.5 million).

“I think as close to the rail as possible. That would be best,” Hayes said.

“In Hong Kong, they jump and really go hard because they’ve only got 200 metres to the turn, in Sydney they’ve got a nice 600-700 metre run. The tempo is not quite as hectic, so the barrier is not so important for him. He’s got incredible gate speed and he’s got the ability to take a sit, so he’s pretty foolproof.

“If the pace is fast, Zac (Purton) will sit third, if the pace is slow, he will lead.”