02 April 2026
World’s best Ka Ying Rising goes for 19th consecutive win in Monday’s Sprint Cup
After setting a new record for consecutive wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse, Zac Purton remains supremely confident Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) can extend his unbeaten streak in Easter Monday’s HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin.
Having surpassed Silent Witness’ (El Moxie) previous record of 17 successive victories by landing a second HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), Ka Ying Rising returns bidding for a 19th successive win against six rivals at the public holiday Group 2 double-header, which also features the HK$5.35 million G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m).
Acclaimed as the world’s top-rated horse after the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings was released, eight-time Group 1 winner Ka Ying Rising clocked 23s in a dirt course gallop on Monday in preparation.
Purton said: “I can’t see why he can’t continue to keep doing what he is doing. I just take every race as it comes and for him it’s all the same, right? Hopefully, he handles himself on race day, gets out of the gates clean and gets himself into the right spot – if those things happen, then he does the rest.”
Ka Ying Rising – trained by David Hayes – is a dual G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) winner (2024 & 2025). He also won the 2025 G1 The Everest (1200m), forming part of his 18-race unconquered run, which began in February, 2024 in Class 3.
“We all know what he can do and we all know what he’s about – he’s a very straightforward horse,” Purton said. “Everything is ticking over with him, and his trial was good. It seems like he’s in good form and good spirits as he always is.”
Ka Ying Rising steps from gate five under Purton, who rides Dennis Yip’s Fast Network (NZ) (Wrote) in the Chairman’s Trophy when the horse rises to a mile for the first time after connections opted against racing in Saturday’s G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m).
Purton said: “It’s a good chance to see him over the mile as to where they’re going to go on Champions Day. His win last start was very good, but he had the right barrier, and the race was run to suit – it’s exactly the way he likes to race.
“It’s a bigger field than what I was expecting, but he’s a quality horse and it’s a bit of trial and error. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go to Dubai, which is a shame, because as it turns out, I think he would have been very hard to beat.”
Purton, 43, heads to Sydney, Australia, for Saturday’s (4 April) World Pool fixture at Royal Randwick, booked to ride Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the G1 Doncaster Mile Handicap (1600m) and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) in the G1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m), among others.
“It’s good to be back on him (Giga Kick). I ran second on him in this race last year. They’ve done a really good job to get him back after such a long time off, and his runs this time have shown that he’s heading the right way.
“He loves Randwick, which is a big plus, and it’ll be good to get another look at the other horses close up as well, because obviously we’ll (Ka Ying Rising) be going back down there in the spring to try and defend our title (in The Everest),” Purton said.
Purton is a triple Doncaster Mile winner with Sacred Falls in 2014, It’s Somewhat in 2017 and Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) in 2023. He’ll team with Ben, Will & JD Hayes, who saddle Evaporate.
Evaporate holds a nomination for the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m), and Purton said: “He ran well in the All-Star Mile (G1, 1600m), and then he was a bit disappointing the other day, I thought, but he gets back to a handicap where he should be better suited. It is going to be hard to beat the three-year-olds, especially Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warror), with no weight on her back.”
Monday’s 11-race fixture at Sha Tin begins at 12.30pm with the Class 4 Lugard Handicap (1000m). - By Declan Schuster
Grown up Von Hauke first-up at Caulfield
After more three years of hard work, trainer Cliff Brown is hoping to finally reap the rewards with Von Hauke (NZ) (Savabeel).
The Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday will be Von Hauke's first run of the campaign which could lead him on to international travel, but more likely interstate.
Von Hauke has been his own worst enemy since he began racing in January 2023.
Brown would describe it as 'kid's stuff', doing things wrong in his races, playing up in his paddock to the extent the son of Savabeel required surgery for a jaw injury.
Von Hauke has tested Brown's patience as he couldn't get the number of runs each preparation out of the gelding, but the trainer now feels the penny has dropped for the now six-year-old.
In previous campaigns, Brown has started Von Hauke at 1100m, twice at Caulfield, where the gelding would get out the back and run on.
But with age and maturity, Brown said the 1400m was worthy of having a go at.
"The reason has been he's been such a hard going horse, but he seems to have grown up a lot lately," Brown said.
"It may not work, but he seems a lot better in himself and not wanting to overdo things as badly as he has in the past.
"Hopefully, at this trip he can be handier and when he does get to the races, he is a lot more grown up.
"He's come up very good but first-up at the 1400m, he will improve.
"He had a great prep last time with the only failure he had was on that bottomless track on Champions Day, but bar that, he's really well."
Von Hauke won the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley last October before running sixth to Ceolwulf in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on November 8.
Post Saturday's outing there is the option of a trip to Hong Kong for the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on April 26 or remain at home and potentially head to Brisbane with the aim of running in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June.
Brown said it was a 'throw at the stumps' idea to put a nomination in for Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong is not ruled in, it's not ruled out, but it also depends on what is going to run up there," Brown said.
"The horse is in good shape, so we'll see how he goes, but he might go to Brisbane. The Stradbroke could be on the agenda if he's good enough." - NZ Racing Desk
NZ Racing Desk
Joshua Smith
Paul Vettise
Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith
🎥 Did you see?
Darryl Anderson reviews the New Zealand-bred winners in Hong Kong on Wednesday 1st April.
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