Sydney jockey Rachel King will return to Melbourne to partner Warwoven (Sword Of State) in a track gallop and give the final tick of approval for a Cox Plate start at Flemington.

King partnered the Bjorn Baker-trained Warwoven to victory in the Caulfield Guineas on October 10 and headed to Cranbourne on Friday morning to give the three-year-old a canter.

She will return on Tuesday morning to gallop the colt before a final decision is made whether Warwoven runs in the Cox Plate (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Warwoven defeated the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High) in the Guineas and has been stable with the couple since his arrival in Melbourne the day prior to his Guineas success.

"I went in on Friday to give him a little canter around and I didn't know if I would be allowed in the stable," King joked.

"They're great. They look after Bjorn's horses when they come down, and we look after theirs when they go to Sydney.

"Bjorn and Trent are pretty good friends, although that result might have tested the friendship a bit with this horse.

"I'll be back down on Tuesday to gallop him as it's more that I know him and to make sure he feels the same.

"If you put someone else on that hasn't ridden him before, it's tricky to tell where he's at."

King said Warwoven had recovered well from his Guineas success and believes the Sword Of State colt still has more to deliver.

However, she is well aware the Cox Plate will be a tougher race.

"I don't think we've reached the ceiling with him yet, which is exciting," King said.

"The Cox Plate is another different kettle of fish and we're under no illusion that it a different ball game against the older horses.

"He does get that massive weight relief and this year being at Flemington it helps a little bit, for any of the three-year-olds, as it's bit easier than getting around Moonee Valley as there's not that added pressure of getting around that tight track.

"He's by far the best hose I've sat on. It's a privilege to be associated with a horse like that and we have to make the most of it while we can." - NZ Racing Desk

Ka Ying Rising beaten narrowly in The Everest

David Hayes has lamented a poor barrier draw after Ka Ying Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress) 21-race winning streak came to a dramatic end in the AU$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) at Randwick Racecourse on Saturday.

Ka Ying Rising was trapped wide under Zac Purton after jumping from barrier 11 and settling sixth, and momentarily appeared to be struggling in the straight before he launched a desperate bid for a second victory in the world’s richest turf race, failing by only half a neck to overhaul Tempted.

Ciaron Maher-trained Tempted, who had a trouble-free run from barrier one under former Hong Kong-based jockey Chad Schofield, inflicted Ka Ying Rising’s first defeat since January 2024 and reversed the result of last year’s The Everest, when she was second to Ka Ying Rising.

Cambridge Stud owned Joliestar was third, a neck further back. The overall time was 1m 08.21s.

Hayes said: “We didn’t expect him to be there (midfield), but it was the barrier. Sometimes (barrier) 11 can be a bonus, but he got caught wide. He settled a bit further back than we thought he would, and if we have to take a positive out of it, he was in front one stride after the post.

“So (he was) very brave. The first and third horse cut the corner and really had dream runs, and we had a horror (run) being six-wide, no cover. But he was brave, and I love the way he finished, but I hate the result.

“The ground (Soft 5) was absolutely perfect. It was the barrier, and we actually thought the barrier would be a bonus, but it went the wrong way for us.

“I’ve had a chat with Zac and he just thinks the barrier, getting caught so wide, and the winner had such a beautiful run. Well done to the winner. She’s had a big spring.”

Hayes immediately looked to the future, declaring: “He (Ka Ying Rising) will be there on Longines Day (Hong Kong International Races) and then Champions Day, and this season is only just starting, so hopefully we might come back next year to The Everest.”

Purton, who has partnered Ka Ying Rising in 20 of the gelding’s 22 wins from 25 starts, was circumspect post-race.

“I thought it was a very good run, he just got a little bit lost coming into the straight and it felt like he was really struggling but when the horse on the outside (Headwall) came to him, that’s when he clicked into gear and started to give me something,” Purton said. “He was good to the line – very good heart.

“He prefers it dry, but he got through it (the track) okay. Every horse that went forward, finished out the back so it didn’t work out for them, either.”

Schofield, who rode 208 winners in Hong Kong before relocating to Sydney in 2021, was elated after employing a radical change of plans by pushing forward on Tempted – who usually races back in the field.

“First time I’ve really ridden her and asked her from the start. I normally just ride her to relax and trust her to be far too good late,” Schofield said.

“But it was a different race today. We had the world’s best sprinter, the world’s best horse. I had eyes for him, and I knew he wasn’t up there and I held my spot and kept him deep and I’m pretty sure that made Zac have to come back.

“From there, I had the perfect trip. I came off from behind the two leaders, and I hit the front very early, a long way out. But she’s such a good horse, she's so brave and so game.”

With the runner’s up cheque of AU$2.9 million (approx. HK$15.8 million), Ka Ying Rising’s career earnings swelled to HK$176.7 million, overtaking Golden Sixty’s HK$167.17 million to be in second place among Hong Kong’s highest-earning horses behind Romantic Warrior, who retired with world record prizemoney of HK$288,745,697.

Ka Ying Rising will return to Hong Kong on Monday in preparation for the HK$5.35 million Gr.2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on 22 November before he chases a third victory in the HK$28 million Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) on 13 December at Sha Tin. - Hong Kong Jockey Club

Mr Brightside set to race on in 2027

Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) will race on in 2027, but a decision is pending on whether he runs again this spring.

The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes will wait until acceptance time before deciding whether to start Mr Brightside at Flemington.

Mr Brightside is likely to feature among nominations for the Gr.2 Kia Ora Stud Mile (1600m) on Saturday, however Ben Hayes said he was only a 50-50 chance of starting.

At his most recent outing, Mr Brightside finished last behind Pride Of Jenni in the Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield on September 27.

Mr Brightside followed that up running second in a jump-out at Flemington last Friday.

"It was an OK trial, but we've just got to have a good think about it and see how he is on Wednesday," Hayes said.

"He's come through it fine, but we've got to talk to the ownership group and make a decision.

"He's 50-50 on whether he runs otherwise we will give him a break and target the autumn."

Mr Brightside missed an autumn campaign earlier in the year following surgery to remove a bone chip and has had three runs back.

He finished second on his preferred soft ground in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield first-up before jarring up in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.

"We thought we had him back on top at Caulfield, but unfortunately, we had to run in the Feehan as there wasn't an upgrade of the track," Hayes said.

"If there had been we would have scratched him, but we weren't allowed."

Hayes said if the decision was made to bypass Saturday, Mr Brightside would be given a break to prepare for the autumn.

He said there had been talk of retirement, something the whole team and the ownership group was not looking forward to.

"We have spoken to the group about it, and we don't like to talk about it, but probably the autumn may likely be his last campaign," Hayes said.

"He's a rising 10-year-old, but the thing about him is he's a very sound horse and if there was any inkling there was any problem with him, we would be retiring him.

"He's a happy, sound horse, he's a gelding, and has been lightly raced with only 51 starts throughout his whole career.

"He's had three runs back from injury and he's been a most special horse to us.

"We want to protect him and maybe give him another good break before we target the autumn.

"If we turn him out now, he can have a bit longer, which may be better for him, but we just want to see how he is closer to acceptance time before making a decision." - Racing.com

Ohope Wins remembered for her kindness and talent

Kind, athletic, willing to learn, and immensely talented.

These are the memories Andrew Scott has of Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park), the dual Oaks winner he and Lance O’Sullivan prepared for the first part of her career.

Ohope Wins, transferred to the Sydney stable of Chris Waller in March, was brought down in yesterday’s Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), unable to avoid Half Yours when he fell in the straight. The injuries were so severe that she had to be euthanised by the on-course veterinarian.

“She was incredibly kind, just very willing,” Scott said. “Yes, she was incredibly talented, but she was a kind soul. She was just one of those nice animals that was willing to learn, willing to quicken, really sound, and had high levels of ability.

“What she showed to us during her brief career, she rates up with some of the best horses we’ve trained, there’s no doubt about it. She was a very good horse to us and we were very proud of her achievements when she went to Australia.”

The Ocean Park mare was bred by Bill Gartshore and his family and raced under their Gartshore Bloodstock moniker. She was the first horse the Gartshores had asked O’Sullivan and Scott to train.

“It was a pretty good way to kick off a relationship. They certainly enjoyed a brief but very successful career with her. They were very proud of her achievements, and to see her to win the races that she did,” Scott said.

“They took a good load of patience, like any owner or breeder does, to get through from breeding to the birdcage. They put a lot into the industry, and they deserved all the success they got.”

O’Sullivan and Scott displayed plenty of patience themselves with Ohope Wins. She trialled five times before she raced, and only once did she finish in the first three. But in most of them she got to the line strongly, and the pair felt like they had a good horse from a very early stage.

“She had a quiet mind, she was sound in the limb, good in the wind, she had constitution, and consequently she had a good action on the training track,” Scott said.

“Until you really ask them to quicken you don’t know, but she certainly had a lot going for her.”

Ohope Wins finished fifth on debut in a 1400m maiden at Rotorua in November last year, and filled the same position in a 1600m maiden at Pukekohe on December 6.  Then, coming from well back, she finished second in a Te Rapa 1600m maiden on December 20.

O’Sullivan and Scott then decided to take on the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. It was here she showed her true ability, storming home to win after being well back on the turn.

Australian owner-breeders Yulong Investments then bought Ohope Wins from Gartshore Bloodstock, and it was in Yulong’s colours that she won the Gr.2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m). Understandably she then started a $2.60 favourite in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), and she dominated her opponents by 2 1/4 lengths.

In all three of her New Zealand victories, Ohope Wins ran her final 600m at least half a second quicker than all her opponents, and she was more than a second faster than the rest in the Oaks.

“When she found her confidence and got out to the distances she was genetically bred to run, she was able to relax really well and when you asked her to quicken, she could quicken well and sustain a great gallop, which is seldom seen,” Scott said.

Ohope Wins was then transferred to Waller’s stable, where she finished fourth in the Gr.1 Vinery Classic (2000m) before winning the Gr.1 ATC Australian Oaks (2400m).

This season, she had some prep races at unsuitable distances early in spring. She was then sixth in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) before suffering her tragic fate in the Caulfield Cup.

“The team is heartbroken. She was a special part of our team, but we feel for Team Waller and Team Yulong as well,” Scott said.

“(Yulong Head of Racing) Danny Rolston rung last night and he was really upset. He said they’d done everything they could to save her and he was very sad to deliver this news to the team.

“It’s never easy, no matter what. When you have a loss in the team it’s felt, regardless of ability, but it was a bit of a somber night last night for sure. She was a very loved mare on both sides of the Tasman and we certainly won’t forget her.” - Alastair Bull LOVERACING.NZ News Desk