Ka Ying Rising makes statement ahead of Everest defence
The world’s premier sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) has turned in possibly his greatest performance to date when he smashed the Sha Tin 1200-metre course record on Sunday by a full second to record his 21st consecutive victory.
Ka Ying Rising easily beat his own track record when he ran a head-shaking 1.06.11s to destroy his previous mark of 1.07.12s in the Group 3 Chief Executive’s Cup.
Jockey Zac Purton gave an ominous warning to those with hopes of beating Ka Ying Rising in The Everest in six weeks.
“He’s got improvement, there’s no doubt about that so that’s why I gave him a bit of a push to give him that blow,” Purton said.
“We’ve got to try to bring him on for The Everest, but he handled himself really well and he changed his leg, that’s what I liked.”
Ka Ying Rising had been under some veterinary scrutiny in the lead-up to the race after sustaining minor bruising to a hoof.
The David Hayes-trained superstar is expected to go immediately into quarantine after the race on Sunday night to prepare for his trip to Australia to defend his Everest title. As per last year, he is likely to trial at Randwick about 10 days out from the $20 million race.
As well as being the world’s current fastest horse, Ka Ying Rising also currently co-holds the title of leading racehorse in the world at a rating of 131 alongside Royal Ascot’s Group 1 Prince Of Wales Stakes winner Ombudsman. - Racing.com
Winner: Ka Ying Rising (NZ) 2020
Owners: Ka Ying Syndicate
Trainer: David Hayes / Sha Tin
Breeding: by Shamexpress out of Missy Moo by Per Incanto (USA)
Breeder: Grandmoral Lodge Racing
21 In A Row for Ka Ying Rising
Unbeaten Well Written Crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year
An unbeaten season, six consecutive victories and a string of outstanding performances have seen Well Written (AUS) (Written Tycoon) crowned New Zealand’s Horse of the Year for 2025–26.
The Cambridge mare claimed the sport's highest honour at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards this evening, capping a flawless three-year-old campaign that established her as one of the country’s most accomplished performers in recent times.
Well Written was also named Champion Three-Year-Old, after a season that saw her win all six of her starts, including a stunning six-length victory in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).
Her success capped a remarkable season for Stephen Marsh, himself a finalist for Trainer of the Year, who, alongside bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson, personally selected and purchased Well Written for just $80,000. The duo secured her out of Brighthill Farm's draft from the NZB 2024 National Online Yearling Sale. In a single campaign, Marsh guided Well Written from an unraced youngster to New Zealand's Horse of the Year and more than $2.6 million in stakes earnings.
Well Written is the only New Zealand Champion Three-Year-Old this century to be unbeaten at three, with every other titleholder having been beaten at least twice. She also had fewer starts than most but recording six wins is a significant achievement. No other winner of the three-year-old category in the past ten years won more than five times at that age.
In a fitting conclusion to a remarkable weekend, Well Written also claimed the $400,000 Group 1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie, defeating older rivals in the first Group 1 race of the new season. The victory added another significant achievement to her unbeaten record, just one day before she was crowned New Zealand’s Horse of the Year.
Lara Antipova (AUS) (Russian Revolution) was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old – sponsored by TAB NZ, completed an unbeaten four-start juvenile season highlighted by victories in the $550,000 Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and two Group 2 contests.
The Champion Sprinter-Miler – sponsored by sponsored by Winning Edge Presentations, title went to the rapidly emerging First Five (NZ) (Almanzor), whose rise from a rating 83 performer to dual Group 1 weight-for-age winner was one of the season's great success stories.
Five-time Group 1-winning mare Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) collected her second Champion Middle Distance Horse - sponsored by Taylor Perry Insurance Consultants – title, before concluding a career that earned more than $3 million on the track. While Trans-Tasman Group 1 Oaks winner Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) was recognised as Champion Stayer – sponsored by Sandfield. Champion Jumper – supported by NZ Jumps went to Jesko (NZ) (Atlante), whose Ben & Ryan Foote Racing Great New Zealand Steeplechase victory and strong Grand National Festival performances helped in secured the title.
Craig Grylls was named Jockey of the Year – sponsored by Crave, after claiming a second consecutive New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership and leading the country in black-type victories and stakes earnings, while Hamish McNeill secured his first Jumps Jockey of the Year – supported by On Track – honour. Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson were again named Trainer of the Year – sponsored by Dunstan Horsefeeds, following a dominant season that produced 20 black-type victories from 787 domestic starts.
The Owner of the Year Award, sponsored by Tompkins Wake, went to international racing and breeding powerhouse Yulong Investments, whose strategic investment in elite New Zealand bloodstock delivered immediate results through standout performers including Champions Well Written and Ohope Wins, as well as Autumn Glory (NZ) (Ocean Park) and That's Gold (AUS) (Lucky Vega).
The LOVERACING.NZ Award for Contribution to Media, Digital & Content was presented to Trackside NZ Senior Content Producer George Bates, recognising his outstanding filming, directing and editing, which brings the stories, people and horses of Thoroughbred racing to life.
Zac Harkess took out the NZ Stablehand of the Year Award, sponsored by Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge & Tauranga. A valued member of Lyn Prendergast’s stable for five years, Zac was recognised for his reliability, professionalism and passion for developing young horses.
Two of the evening’s most significant honours were NZTR’s Special Awards, recognising outstanding contributions to the Thoroughbred industry.
The NZTR Award for Outstanding Contribution to Racing went to the Williams family, represented by three generations of the family, including Sam and Dame Catriona Williams, Richard “Buzz” and Susie Williams, and Tom and Gay Williams. Their involvement in Thoroughbred breeding and racing spans three generations and more than 85 years, with Little Avondale Stud now home to Champion sire Per Incanto, who won both the Dewar and Centaine Awards for the 2025–26 season.
The late Savabeel (AUS) (Zabeel) was named the 2026 recipient of the NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement, recognising an extraordinary legacy on the track and at stud. A dual Group One-winning three-year-old in Australia, he first made his mark with victories in the 2004 Spring Champion Stakes and Cox Plate. He went on to become a champion stallion at Waikato Stud, producing 36 individual Group One winners and 159 stakes winners, with his progeny achieving Group One success in Australia and helping him become Hong Kong’s leading sire by winners in 2018–19. Savabeel was named New Zealand’s champion sire ten times, while his progeny collected 16 Horse of the Year equine category awards.
For full 2025-26 Award winner interviews and content, visit the LOVERACING.NZ Facebook page and website.
2025-26 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards – Winners:
New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership: Craig Grylls
New Zealand Trainers’ Premiership: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson
New Zealand Apprentice Jockeys’ Premiership: Amber Riddell
New Zealand Owners’ Premiership: Gerry Harvey
Newcomer to Training - sponsored by gavelhouse.com: Ebony Turner
LOVERACING.NZ Award for Contribution to Media, Digital & Content: George Bates
Champion Two-Year-Old - sponsored by TAB NZ: Lara Antipova
Champion Three-Year-Old - sponsored by TAB: Well Written
Champion Sprinter-Miler - sponsored by Winning Edge Presentations: First Five
Champion Middle Distance Horse - sponsored by Taylor Perry Insurance Consultants: Legarto
Champion Stayer - sponsored by Sandfield: Ohope Wins
Champion Jumper - supported by New Zealand Jumps Racing: Jesko
NZ Stablehand of the Year - sponsored by Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge & Tauranga: Zac Harkess
Jockey of the Year - sponsored by Crave: Craig Grylls
Jumps Jockey of the Year - supported by OnTrack: Hamish McNeill
Trainer of the Year - sponsored by Dunstan Horsefeeds: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson
Owner of the Year - sponsored by Tompkins Wake: Yulong Investments
NZTR Award for Outstanding Contribution to Racing: The Williams Family
2025-26 NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement: Savabeel
New Zealand Horse of the Year: Well Written - New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing
Platinum Emperor rules NZB Open Championship
Months of hard work and perseverance to get Platinum Emperor (NZ) (Sweynesse) in top shape again paid off for trainer Ricky Choi when the Sweynesse galloper overcame a wide passage early to win the RM300,000 NZB Open Championship (1400m) at Selangor racecourse in Malaysia on Saturday.
Platinum Emperor was bred by the late Kevin Hickman and sold from the draft of CH Bloodstock at the 2021 Karaka Yearling Sale to Hamish Auret who trained him to win a barrier trial before being sold to Macau.
In Macau he notched eight wins in 26 starts at Taipa then won three of his first starts in Malaysia last year and was the hot favourite for the Selangor Gold Cup but he mistrode, became unbalanced and dislodged his rider halfway in the race.
Platinum Emperor then spent four months on the sidelines to recover from muscles issues as a result of the fall and fortunately for Choi and Platinum Racing Stables, he came back in good shape this season, finishing on board in all his six runs – winning twice – prior to the race today.
With Benny Woodworth suspended and other top riders committed to the other trainers, Choi picked Oscar Chavez to ride the seven-year-old. It was their first ever partnership.
As it turned out, the Panamanian rode a gem of a race.
Platinum Emperor was caught wide early, but Chavez managed to settle in fourth spot, just behind Antipodean and on the outside of Lucky Magic.
Mega Ace maintained a cracking pace into the straight but at the 400m, Lucky Magic and Antipodean was just two lengths behind with another length to Platinum Emperor.
Platinum Emperor raced past them in a matter of strides and went on to win by 1-3/4 lengths with Antipodean battling on for second. Mega Power finished well to take third placing. Duma was fourth and Lucky Magic faded to finish sixth.
“After the heartache of the (Selangor) Gold Cup last year, he (Platinum Emperor) deserves this,” said Choi.
“We were so confident that he would win last year and had to start from scratch to get him into top shape.
“We gave him a lot of massages and care in the few months he was laid off and finally he is 100 percent again.
“I am targeting the Selangor Gold Cup on Sep 27 next and hopefully, we have better luck this time.”
“I wasn’t worried when caught wide early because he races better on the outside of horses,” said Chavez.
“I was in fact keeping an eye on Antipodean and I also saw that the horse in front were going at a very fast pace.
“When they started to come back to me at the 350m, I knew I was going to win.” - Turfonline.com
Kevin Robertson
Joshua Smith
