In an ominous warning to his rivals, Zac Purton has declared Ka Ying Rising has improved from his overseas heroics in the Group One The Everest (1,200m) ahead of Sunday’s Group Two BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1,200m) at Sha Tin.
Bidding for a remarkable 15th consecutive win, the world’s best sprinter has thrived since returning from Australia where he cruised to victory in the A$20 million (HK$101 million) The Everest at Randwick last month.
Purton noted Ka Ying Rising has never been as fresh as he is now heading into a race, but the champion jockey believes that is a positive for the David Hayes-trained superstar.
“He seems to be bouncing around, he feels good within himself and it looks as though the trip, if anything, has helped him develop as a horse,” Purton said.
“Physically he just seems to look better all the time and mentally he seems to keep improving as well, so I’m looking forward to having him back.
“The trials would have brought him back to Earth a little bit. I haven’t been on him since the trial, but I’ve seen him at the track and he’s ready to go back to the races. He’s just happy to be back in Hong Kong, which is a good thing.”
Ka Ying Rising comfortably accounted for My Wish by four lengths in a dirt trial last week and has been dealt barrier 10 – the same draw he overcame to win last year’s Jockey Club Sprint.
Purton said he will follow his usual formula of assessing the early pace before determining where to position Ka Ying Rising from the draw.
The Australian rider also said the Hayes-trained Tomodachi Kokoroe’s hot form, headlined by his comprehensive triumph in the Group Two Premier Bowl (1,200m) last start, warranted respect.
“It’s obviously not an easy race – he hasn’t drawn very well. It’s going to be tricky,” Purton said.
“He’s up against Tomodachi, who’s airborne, so I think it’s going to be a competitive race.”
Ka Ying Rising and the clash between Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble headline what shapes to be a mouth-watering meeting, and Purton is excited to hop back aboard Voyage Bubble in a race for the first time since June last year.
Purton anticipates a similar result in Sunday’s Group Two BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) to Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble’s last encounter, when the former prevailed narrowly over the latter in an epic tussle in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m) last year.
“The last time I rode Voyage Bubble over 2,000 at Sha Tin it was a great race. We drew well clear of the field, fought it out to the line and hopefully we can do the same thing,” Purton said.
“They’ve both had a really good last 12 or 18 months and they look as if they both have something to offer, so I think they’re both going to be pretty hard to beat again.”
Romantic Warrior will make his much-anticipated return from injury but looks primed on the strength of his three trials, while Voyage Bubble is tipped to improve dramatically from his first-up 12th in the Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m).
Purton’s other Group Two ride on Sunday, Light Years Charm, will face a stern test against My Wish in the BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile.
“Historically he’s struggled at the mile and he’s up in grade, so It’s a big test for him but there’s nowhere else to go,” Purton said of the five-time Sha Tin winner, who ran third on his only attempt at a mile.
“We’ll throw him in the deep end and see if he can swim and assess him from there. He’s continued to improve with every run and he’s going the best now that he’s gone, so it’s the right time to try him again at it.”
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