![Zac Purton celebrates winning The Everest on Ka Ying Rising [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2185574.jpg)
When you’re away from home, things are different. Nothing is comfortable, so it makes victory that little bit sweeter.
Ka Ying Rising wasn’t at home at Randwick. He was out of his comfort zone, but once he got on the track, he proved he’s the world’s best in The Everest.
Instead of walking from his home stable half an hour before the race in Hong Kong, Ka Ying Rising had to put up with the maddening crowd, which topped 50,000, that wanted a glimpse of the superstar for a couple of hours.
His silks live in the jockeys’ room at Sha Tin, so it was a different task for David Hayes’ stablehands, who arrived with them in a Woollies bag.
“I have never seen that,” an ATC official said. “I thought he was meant to be the best horse in the world.”
Hayes relaxed before the race, joking with his fellow trainers, like he’d never left for Hong Kong.
Calm and cool.
He didn’t have a worry on the outside before the moment of truth.
There were concerns how the star would react to being saddled and being the centre of attention, but once he walked into the Theatre Of The Horse, they were forgotten.
Zac Purton hopped on board, so relaxed was he that he was said hi to friends on his way to the track.
Sweet Caroline blasted around Randwick but once the gates opened, it was all Ka Ying Rising.
By the 600m mark, when Overpass and Mazu had gone a steady, not lightning, gallop with the Hong Kong star on their back, Hayes was excited.
“I thought when Jimmystar was on our back that something would have to go dramatically wrong for him to get beaten,” Hayes said. “Then I remembered this was Randwick and he had to get up the rise.”
As they topped the rise, Purton turned the whip around and with one, two, three strikes, he was away.
“I actually would have like them to go quicker, but he just relaxed so well,” Purton said. “He would have been better if they went quicker.”
The margin at the post was 1-1/4 lengths back to Tempted and a short neck to Jimmysstar along with a bunch of the rest.
“It’s certainly the biggest thrill in my life. It’s been the longest ten days in my life I think,” Hayes said. “He (Better Loosen Up) was the last world champion rated horse I’ve trained and this is the next one. “There were a lot of good horses in between but these are the two stars.”
Purton said Ka Ying Rising has been the horse he has waited a career for, which is close to closing but will continue while this star is around.
“To have one champion I rode in my career, I thought, that was unbelievable for me and now to have one come along that could be even better, right at this moment it really does hit home.” Purton said.
“You become a bit emotional. You appreciate it more now because it is nearly over but I’m so lucky. I’ve had such a good career and so lucky to have this horse come along now.”
“It is a great way to close it when I do close it.”
A legend is created! 🙌
Ka Ying Rising wins racing’s ultimate climb – the TAB Everest, and cements himself as the absolute best, giving a sold-out Randwick crowd absolute chills! 🏔️@zpurton @aus_turf_club @tabcomau @HKJC_Racing @WorldPool @WHR pic.twitter.com/TBBC7o2lyP
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 18, 2025
