Hong Kong’s champion jockey Zac Purton plans to employ a familiar plan and use Ka Ying Rising’s blistering speed against his 12 rivals in Sunday’s HK$22 million Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin.
Zac Purton and Ka Ying Rising have two Group 1 races together (Pic – HKJC)
Purton said he doesn’t want a slowly run race but, as the world’s highest-rated sprinter, he has the horse to dictate the way the race will be run.
Chasing a 12th consecutive victory, Purton said the New Zealand-bred gelding had been a gem from the first time he got off the plane in Hong Kong.
“He is a pleasure to do anything with and if you could order a horse, you would order him,” Purton said. “He has got the best attitude, he goes home and he eats and he recovers and he does everything you want. A big teddy bear.
“He is eager to get out and do his work. He is excited to do that and once he gets out there, he drops his head, cruises around and does everything right.”
Ka Ying Rising has worked in his normal excellent way since having a barrier trial at Sha Tin after his last start victory in the HK$5.35 million Gr2 Sprint Cup on 30 March.
“His barrier trial was good and it was exactly what he always does,” Purton said. “His track work since then has been the same and he ticks over. With the schedule here in Hong Kong it is pretty routine – his track work and barrier trials – nothing changes.
“He is in good order and is ready to go.
Purton admitted it was heartbreaking to miss the ride on Ka Ying Rising in the HK$13 million Gr1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup when he forfeited the winning ride to Karis Teetan after he was sidelined after being injured in a race fall.
“It was exciting to watch him step up to 1400m and win and there was that period or moment at about the 300m mark where he looked as if he was all off balance and looked as if he was empty and they were going to swallow him up,” Purton said.
“He changed his leg and found his second wind and went again and was strong through the line and it was a very brave performance and showed that he has got a good will to win and a strong heart. And when he needed to find again, he did so.”
Satono Reve (green and yellow cap) looms as a danger to Ka Ying Rising (Pic – HKJC)
Purton said Ka Ying Rising was a versatile galloper who didn’t have to lead but is very effective in fast-run races and loves strong galloping.
“He cruises so comfortably on that fast speed and then he can accelerate and put them away off the back of it,” Purton said. “And then he just gaps his rivals when he is placed in that scenario.”
Purton said with the speed drawn outside Ka Ying Rising, who will jump from barrier four, he will be positive early and use the gelding’s natural gate speed.
“I don’t want a slowly-run race to the first corner where a heap of horses are all in a bunch and I want to try to split the field up a little bit,” Purton said.
“I will be using his speed early and make the other horses work a little bit if they want to try and cross him.”
Purton said Satono Reve, one of four Japanese runners in the sprint, has good form with victory in the Gr1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in Japan after finishing three quarters of a length third to Ka Ying Rising in last December’s HK$24 million Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin.
“He has drawn well in six so he is going to get a perfect run once again, just off the speed,” Purton said.
“And he is relatively lightly-raced horse as well, so we respect him and Helios Express has been close enough to us a number of times and we respect him as well.”
Sunday’s 10-race fixture at Sha Tin kicks off at 06h45 with the Class 4 FWD Insurance ACT Private Handicap. The HK$22 million Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, HK$24 million Gr1 FWD Champions Mile and HK$28 million Gr1 FWD QEII Cup headline the programme.
