Hong Kong’s superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress) defence of his Gr.1 $20 million The TAB Everest title begins in earnest when the champion contests a crucial barrier trial at Sha Tin on Friday.

Ka Ying Rising is on a 20-race winning streak and was simply untouchable in eight starts last season, seemingly breaking track records for fun.

He has retained his ranking as the world's number-one ranked racehorse alongside England's Ombudsman.

But when Hayes returned to Hong Kong from a European holiday late last week he inspected Ka Ying Rising at his Sha Tin stables and was taken aback by how much stronger the gelding is compared to when last in work.

"He was consistently around 1160 pounds last season over the Everest period,'' Hayes said.

"But the other day he weighed in at 1189 pounds which is after a spell, and that says to me he's still developing.

"I think he'll race at around 1165, so he's a bigger, stronger horse.

"So, dare I say, normally when sprinters get bigger they get better.

"Every time he's gone up in weight he runs faster times. His last four starts he's beaten four track records.''

Ka Ying Rising goes back to the barrier trials on Friday with Hayes keen to follow closely the same blueprint which gave the Hong Kong champion a famous The Everest win at Royal Randwick last spring.

Hayes intends giving Ka Ying Rising two barrier trial hit-outs then a comeback run at Sha Tin in early September before leaving for Sydney.

But Hayes made the startling admission Ka Ying Rising's Everest win was his least impressive of the season with the trainer admitting he has learned the lessons from last year and will tinker with the champion's preparation in Sydney this spring.

Ka Ying Rising was beaten in a Randwick barrier trial a week before The Everest and looked so lack-lustre, rumours started that all was not well with the champion.

Hayes was bemused as the rumour mill spun out of control with some reports Ka Ying Rising would be withdrawn from The Everest.

For the first time, Hayes has explained what really happened in Sydney last spring.

"He was so impressive at his first run (in Hong Kong) and after the first run I thought I just need to hold his form and not do anything too clever and he'll win down there (Sydney), which he did,'' Hayes told Racing And Sports. 

"But it was probably his least impressive performance for the season.

"It's silly saying that in an Everest, which he won pretty well but he just didn't do what he's done in some of the other races.

"So, I'm going to work him just that little fraction harder going into the trial at Randwick. 

"I was very easy on him before the (Randwick) trial. He went there far too fresh and melted and didn't trial very well.

"But that brought him on and with a gallop after it, he was ready to go for the Everest.

"This year I might have him a little bit more wound up for the trial.''

But Ka Ying Rising's connections are being courted by racing jurisdictions around the world, particularly Royal Ascot, who want the champion sprinter at their feature racing carnivals.

Hayes was lukewarm on changing too much with Ka Ying Rising during 2026-27 as he hopes to extend the champion's race career for another two or three years at least.

"After the (Hong Kong) International meeting he'll go for the (Hong Kong sprint) triple crown again, which he's won the last three seasons,'' the trainer said. 

"And after that there'll be a decision made whether he has another rest 'cause it's working so well when he has a rest, and that won't be good for Ascot if he's resting.

"But the decision is not about the owner or the money or anything which has been reported. It's all about the horse. 

"When you've got one this good, they deserve a rest and you just have to treat them very cautiously because every year he races is precious.

"If we can keep him going for another couple of seasons, I'd hate to think what he could earn for the connections and how many Group 1 races (he can add) on his tally list.

"He' just six and hasn't lost for three years so we're not 'gonna' change too much but the time we'll make a decision about what his program is it'd probably be midway through next season.

"By February, March, we'll make plans to see whether he's just 'gonna' do the same again, which is pretty good. 

"He's averaging $1.2 million Aussie a race, what he's doing at the moment, so there's not a financial reason to change anything.'' - NZ Racing Desk

New arrivals add to Waikato Stallion Parade line-up

Four exciting new additions to New Zealand’s stallion ranks will add further interest to an outstanding line-up when the Gavelhouse.com Waikato Stallion Parade returns this weekend.

Charyn, Return To Conquer, Savaglee and The Foxes will all make their first appearances on the parade, joining a line-up of 35 stallions across nine Waikato farms over the two days.

The event is open to the public, with everyone welcome to attend across both days.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association chief executive Nick Johnson said there was plenty to look forward to across this year’s programme.

“There is always plenty of interest in the new stallions and this year is no exception,” he said. “Charyn, Return To Conquer, Savaglee and The Foxes are four high-class additions and all bring something a little different.

“Then you look right across the programme, and the depth is pretty remarkable. There are proven Group One sires, younger stallions whose progeny are starting to make their mark, and some very well-credentialed horses coming through. It really underlines the depth and quality of the stallion ranks across the region.”

Saturday’s programme begins at Mapperley Stud, where Savaglee will make his first appearance on the parade, alongside Armory.

A son of 10-time Champion Sire Savabeel, Savaglee was crowned New Zealand’s Champion Three-Year-Old following a campaign highlighted by victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m), having already demonstrated his ability at two with success in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m).

From Mapperley, the parade will head to Waikato Stud, where Ardrossan, Banquo, Noverre and Ocean Park will be joined by Return To Conquer.

The A$1.3 million Magic Millions yearling is by four-time Australian Champion Sire Snitzel, and retired unbeaten after four starts, all at stakes level, culminating in victory in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.

Rich Hill Stud will parade Ace High, Proisir, Satono Aladdin and Shocking, before the Saturday programme concludes at Brighthill Farm with Eminent and Savile Row.

From there, attention turns to Te Rapa for the afternoon’s Foxbridge Plate raceday.

“There’s always a great feel around the Stallion Parade weekend,” Johnson said. “The farms are busy, the first foals are being born, and the breeding season is about to get underway, so there’s a real sense of anticipation around the region.”

Sunday begins at Highview Stud, with Divine Prophet, Mr Mozart, Santos and Wrote on parade, before the tour moves to Windsor Park Stud and a line-up comprising Auguste Rodin, Circus Maximus, Paddington, Profondo, Shamexpress and Vanbrugh.

The Oaks Stud follows with The Chosen One and U S Navy Flag, before the parade moves to Novara Park, where The Foxes will make his first appearance alongside King Of Comedy, Staphanos and Sweynesse.

By Churchill, The Foxes won the Gr.2 Royal Lodge Stakes (1600m) at Newmarket as a two-year-old before returning at three to win the Gr.2 Dante Stakes (2000m) at York. He was also runner-up in the Gr.1 Belmont Derby (2000m), fourth in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and later added the Gr.2 Huxley Stakes (2000m) at Chester to his record.

The weekend concludes at Cambridge Stud, where Charyn joins Almanzor, Chaldean, Embellish, Hello Youmzain and Sword Of State.

A son of Dark Angel, Charyn was crowned World Champion Miler and Cartier Champion Older Horse in 2024. His championship season featured victories in three of Europe’s premier mile contests, the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot, Gr.1 Prix Jacques le Marois (1600m) and Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1600m) at Ascot.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have this concentration of stallions and stud farms here,” Johnson said. “It makes the weekend a great opportunity for breeders to see a wide range of what the New Zealand stallion ranks have to offer.

“New Zealand’s success has always been built on a combination of the land we have, the incredibly skilled horse people in this country, and the investment people continue to make in the industry.

“That is what has allowed us to keep producing horses capable of being the best in the world, and weekends like this are a great reminder of the strength that sits behind that.”

2026 Gavelhouse.com Waikato Stallion Parade Schedule

Saturday, August 22

9.00am | Mapperley Stud 107 Matai Road, Matamata Stallions: Armory, Savaglee

9.45am | Waikato Stud 521 Tower Road, RD1, Matamata Stallions: Ardrossan, Banquo, Noverre, Ocean Park, Return To Conquer

11.00am | Rich Hill Stud 570 Landsdowne Road, Richmond Downs Stallions: Ace High, Proisir, Satono Aladdin, Shocking

12.15pm | Brighthill Farm 1352 Tauwhare Road, Eureka Stallions: Eminent, Savile Row

Afternoon | Foxbridge Plate raceday, Te Rapa

Sunday, August 23

9.45am | Highview Stud 1544 Kakaramea Road, Hamilton Stallions: Divine Prophet, Mr Mozart, Santos, Wrote

11.00am | Windsor Park Stud 1130 Kaipaki Road, Cambridge Stallions: Auguste Rodin, Circus Maximus, Paddington, Profondo, Shamexpress, Vanbrugh

12.30pm | The Oaks Stud 122 Roto-O-Rangi Road, Cambridge Stallions: The Chosen One, U S Navy Flag

1.30pm | Novara Park 35 Gorton Road, Cambridge Stallions: King Of Comedy, Staphanos, Sweynesse, The Foxes

2.30pm | Cambridge Stud 128 Discombe Road, Cambridge Stallions: Almanzor, Chaldean, Charyn, Embellish, Hello Youmzain, Sword Of State - New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association

Furlong seeking poly winners as promising 3YO sold

Christchurch trainer Anna Furlong will be keeping a keen eye on the progress of promising three-year-old Spill It (NZ) (Noverre) after the talented youngster was sold to Australia following his impressive Riccarton victory earlier this month.

The son of Noverre broke through at his second start over 1200m at Riccarton and will now continue his career in Sydney with champion trainer Chris Waller.

“He's going to Chris Waller's,” Furlong said.

“He's obviously going to be better on top of the ground and over a bit more of a trip, he's just got that beautiful, clean, correct stride.

“He's got good stride length and he's certainly going to mature into a lovely three-year-old.

“He's been a pleasure. He's got a wonderful nature, just does his job. He's very easy to handle, and he's just a pet, really.”

Furlong believes Spill It has plenty of improvement ahead as he continues to strengthen.

“I'd like to think he could come up in the spring,” she said. “But he was quite rangy and needed a bit of time developing physically. You will probably see the best of him in the autumn.”

Furlong will have three runners at the Riccarton synthetic meeting on Thursday, with four-year-old mares Cocomora and Vienna Game lining up in the Remembering Richard Johnson Maiden (1400m).

Cocomora (NZ) (Tivaci) has been a model of consistency without managing to break through, and Furlong is hoping she can convert that form into a maiden victory this preparation.

“She’s been very consistent without getting over the line, so she's been a little bit frustrating,” she said.

“She’s come up well this prep, but she needs to put her hand up and do the business this time in.”

Furlong is prepared to forgive Vienna Game (NZ) (War Decree) for her most recent performance and believes the small field should give her every opportunity.

“Probably just put a line through last start,” she said. “It's a small field, so hopefully she can have every chance.”

Three-win mare My Sharona (NZ) (Vespa) will step out in the Rating 75 Benchmark (1400m), with Furlong pleased with the five-year-old heading into the assignment.

“She enjoys the poly surface, and she's in good form,” she said.

“Benchmark 75 grade is fairly strong in Canterbury, so we will have to wait and see how she goes, but Jack Taplin gets on with her really well.

“She just keeps getting ugly draws, so fingers crossed that she gets as soft a run as possible.” - NZ Racing Desk

Long association bears fruit at Taupo

John Cameron’s eye for a thoroughbred has been respected throughout his seasoned career as a bloodstock consultant, and relationships he fostered in that role nearly 50 years ago are still bearing fruit.

This was highlighted at Taupo on Sunday when Hawea (Hellbent), a filly he bred with long-standing clients, flew home late to capture the Listed Chittick Family Fillies Classic (1100m) in convincing fashion, adding to her stakes placing in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old.

“She has got a lot of class and to come from last at the turn to get up and win the way she did, basically untested, was very pleasing,” Cameron said of the Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained filly.

“She was probably unlucky (as a two-year-old) on a couple of occasions, one especially at Ellerslie where she couldn’t get a run, and she could have gone on and won that day.

“She is a very nice filly on the way up.”

Cameron purchased her dam, Idlewild, a half-sister to Group One performer Caymans and stakes winner Adroitly, a few years ago with his business partners Daniel Zigal, William Fan and Matthew and Elizabeth Oram.

“Matthew, Daniel and myself go back a long way, when I first started going to Hong Kong in 1980,” Cameron said. “I bought horses for them then and they have been friends and clients ever since.”

The trio have had plenty of success over the years, but Cameron highlights subsequent Group One winner and Group One producer Marquise as his best yearling purchase for Oram and Malcolm Glenn.

“I bought them a very good yearling, at the stage, by Gold And Ivory out of Eight Carat,” Cameron said. “She was called Marquise and she was a Group One winner (Captain Cook Stakes) and left a Group One winner (Hiyaam).”

Idlewild is proving to be another broodmare gem for the partnership.

“She has produced some nice horses for us, including Idyllic, Romilly, who is stakes placed, Jamaica Bay, and now Hawea,” Cameron said. “The mare has done a great job for us.”

Cameron, who is New Zealand Bloodstock’s International Bloodstock Manager, has offered both Romilly and Hawea through his company’s National Yearling Sale, where the pair garnered plenty of interest.

Offered through Wentwood Grange’s Book 1 draft in 2023 and 2025 respectively, they were both purchased by trainer Graham Richardson and Brendon McCullum, with Romilly fetching $110,000 and Hawea $300,000, with Cameron retaining a share in Hawea.

“The mare, Idlewild, is a good-looking mare, a nice size, and she throws attractive types of young horses,” Cameron said. “Hawea as a yearling was very attractive, a good walker, and had a lot of quality.

“Graham and Brendon McCullum also bought Romilly. They loved her and they have done a great job with her as well.”

Cameron has recently imported a yearling full sister to Hawea, who will be offered at Karaka in January.

“We have a full sister to Hawea for the yearling sales next year, and likewise, she is a high-quality filly,” he said. “She was born in Australia and I brought her across in June, and she is currently at Wentwood Grange.”

Idlewild is currently empty but is booked for an early service.

“She foaled a little bit late and was served by Hellbent again but didn’t get in foal,” Cameron said. “She is booked to go back to Hellbent, so hopefully we get a nice early foal next time around.”

Cameron is enjoying breeding from a small number of mares in the twilight of his career, and he is set to welcome a new addition to his bloodstock portfolio in the coming week.

“I have three other broodmares,” he said. “One is called Natural Selection, who is by Choisir, and she has left a stakes placed horse (Discovery Bay). She is currently due to foal to Storm Boy at any tick of the clock.” - Joshua Smith LOVERACING.NZ News Desk