23 April 2026
Ka Ying Rising won’t chase track record in G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize
Zac Purton will ignore appeals to break Sha Tin’s 1200m track record for a third time, even though he says superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) continues to improve ahead of Sunday’s (26 April) HK$24 million Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m).
Ka Ying Rising is poised for a second straight undefeated season as he works toward extending his record winning streak for a Hong Kong horse to 20 consecutive victories.
Purton rated the champion’s last-start victory in the Gr.2 Sprint Cup (1200m) on 6 April as a career-best performance in difficult conditions when he lowered his own track record with a time of 1m 07.12s.
“He is fresh, looks good and he is ready to go on Sunday,” Purton said.
“He just pulls up like he has been out for a canter and recovers very quickly, and his aerobic capacity is what sets him apart from other horses.
“As you can see with his form on race day, he is just a very consistent horse and has run the 128 rating consistently since he has come back from (Gr.1) The Everest (1200m) and then went to 130 last start.”
Purton said many horses remain at the level they reach early in their careers, but Ka Ying Rising is different.
“I have never ridden a horse that has continued to improve as much as he has throughout his career,” Purton said.
While Purton said he was instructed by trainer David Hayes to break the track record two starts ago in the Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), they won’t be chasing another record on Sunday.
“Last start, he just happened to break the track record because of the wind and the way the race was run,” Purton said. “You can’t break a track record unless it is set up for you.
“He seems to go very close to breaking the track record even when the race isn’t run at those fast sectionals.”
Purton said he gets 100 messages a week from people telling him to crack the elusive 1m 06s barrier, and, while he says Ka Ying Rising probably will one day, he won’t be chasing the mark on Sunday.
“I would like him to win without going right to the bottom of the barrel, then he can have a nice break without feeling that he is empty,” Purton said.
“If it is there to be done, I won’t disappoint him. I’ll let him do his thing.”
Ka Ying Rising will jump from barrier three for the first time in a 1200m race, but he jumped from gate three when he smashed the 1400m track record on 22 February.
Hayes said that in a small field of eight, a barrier closer to the rail is better. “With his tactical speed, if they go really fast, he’ll take a sit but if they go slow, he’ll probably lead.”
Hayes said he is taking it race by race with Ka Ying Rising, but he hinted that he could eventually look at racing the sprinter beyond 1400m.
“With his heart-lung capacity, he could run a mile (1600m) very easily,” Hayes said.
“But the sprint options here in Hong Kong and Australia are superb and maybe if he gets to his third season undefeated and the horse is healthy and well, we might be experimenting somewhere over a mile.”
The 11-race FWD Champions Day card on Sunday (26 April) at Sha Tin starts with the Class 4 FWD Insurance Act Private Handicap (1200m) at 12.30pm. - Hong Kong Jockey Club
Stokes pleased with new Kiwi acquisition
New Zealand Derby fourth placegetter Wigmore (NZ) (Sweynesse) will step out for new trainer Phillip Stokes for the first time on Saturday when he contests the Gr.3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville.
The son of Sweynesse was previously prepared by Caley Myers in New Zealand, where the he was a winner and multiple placed in his six starts and showed his staying credentials when chasing Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus) in the Derby.
“He’s come to me through OTI and Terry Henderson,” Stokes said. “They did the deal to buy the horse, and they thought he'd be a good fit for the stable.
“He hasn’t raced since running fourth in the New Zealand Derby. He is a real staying type, he’s got a great set of lungs on him.
“We haven't even jumped him out yet, but we have just seen in his gallops that he has a good level of fitness, so we're using the Chairman's as a sort of trial, and if all goes well, we will go to the South Australian Derby (Gr.1, 2500m) the week after.”
Stokes said he was unsure what to expect from the gelding on Saturday where he will jump from barrier 7 under in-form hoop Lachlan Neindorf and is rated a $9 chance in a market headed by McWoody (Alabama Express) ($2.40).
“I'm not sure what to make of the form line of the New Zealand Derby, but I'm sure it's solid,” Stokes said.
“We've been happy with what he's done at home. Lachlan has galloped him quite a few times, and he likes the horse. We are still learning with him and I think the Derby will be the ideal distance for this horse.”
Stokes and OTI Racing will join forces with a number of former Kiwis on Saturday, with Embellish filly Kazaru (NZ) rated a $31 chance in the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m).
A half-sister to Daqiansweet Junior (NZ) (Sweet Orange) who won a Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) for the stable, Kazaru was a solid fourth in the Gr.3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) last start.
“We got her going quite early in Adelaide where she was stakes placed in a back-end two-year-old race last season. She has travelled around a bit and she went over to Tasmania and won the Oaks (Listed, 2100m) there.
“She has drawn a bit wide, which is ok as we will probably go back with her.”
Meanwhile at Flemington four-year-old Belardo gelding Skippers Canyon (NZ) will contest an 1800m race, while Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking) lines up in a 2000m handicap.
“I'm just running Skippers Canyon through some BenchMark races and we aren't getting too carried away with him,” Stokes said.
“I still think he’s a nice horse, but he is a bit of a quirky bugger. He can miss the kick and do a few things wrong, but I am happy with the way he is building up to this race.
“Mark Twain was huge first-up when third in the Blamey (Gr2, 1400m). Second-up he was a bit average in the Australian Cup (Gr.1, 2000m) and we might have stepped him up to Group One company a little bit quick.
“He is back to a BenchMark 100 this weekend, he is drawn wide but if he can do what he did first-up, he will be very competitive.” - NZ Racing Desk
Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith
