Master Hong Kong trainer David Hayes knew he had the best horse in the world last year, but didn’t realise he had to let Ka Ying Rising show it.
The one thing that has tested Hayes’s patience with his superstar during his 21 consecutive victories had been his failure to be recognised for what he is.
“He is the best horse I have had, and I wanted him to get the credit he was due,” Hayes said. “I thought he was the best in the world.
“I couldn’t understand when his rating just plateaued there for a while, and I asked them why it wasn’t going up.
“They told me he had to win by bigger margins, and I said ‘well that easily done’.
“Zac [Purton] had just been shutting him down at the 200m, so there was much more left there.
“I just said to Zac let him run a bit more, since then he has broken four track records and got the rating he deserved.
“It is not often you get a horse like him that you know can do that with, and it was good to see him rated the best in the world.”
Hayes has batted away concerns about Ka Ying Rising getting beaten by Ninja in Tuesday’s barrier trial.
He hinted there might be another track record in the offering on Everest day.
“They were doing it very easy in the trial, it was about four seconds slower than race pace,” Hayes said.
“He wasn’t there to break records and it will be different come race day. He is going to let rip.”
Ka Ying Rising remains a $1.35 Everest favourite as the field continues to take shape.
Only James Harron, the TAB and Yulong are left to confirm their runners in The Everest after 2022 winner and 2024 runner-up Giga Kick was picked by Coolmore to run in a third Everest.
Chris Waller announced Joliestar would again take the slot he managed and made a case for her being among the biggest threats to Hong Kong superstar
“Her form over the past 12 months has been that of the premier Australian sprinter,” Waller said.
“She went to Royal Ascot and performed admirably against some of the best sprinters in the world, which gave everyone involved enormous confidence in just how good she is.
“To have her represent the slot for a third consecutive time is a fantastic result, and we’re incredibly excited to see her back at Royal Randwick.”
It came a day after Godolphin named Tempted in its slot and Savvy Hallie was given the Mulberry racing
Everest Field
Ka Ying Rising Zac Purton 58.5
Giga Kick Dylan Gibbons 58.5
Headwall Kerrin McEvoy 58.5
Ninja Tommy Berry 58.5
Joliestar James McDonald 56.5
Tempted Chad Schofield 56.5
Savvy Hallie Zac Lloyd 56.5
Spicy Martini Taylor Marshall 56.5
Blue Door Jamie Kah 51
Slots left
TAB [Likely Jimmysstar]
Yulong [Angel Capital]
James Harron
