Rising Star of Jiaying Aims to Conquer Barrier 11 in Everest Defence
SingTao · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Rising Star of Jiaying, Hong Kong's record-breaking sprinter, is set to defend its Everest Stakes title at Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, October 17, facing the challenging task of overcoming barrier 11 in the A$20 million (approximately HK$1.093 billion) 1200m Group 1 feature . Despite the outside draw presenting a historic obstacle—no horse has ever won from an external barrier in the nine editions of Australia's richest race—trainer David Hayes retains full confidence in the world's highest-rated sprinter . Hayes noted that his greater worry is the prospect of heavy track conditions following 24mm of rainfall at Randwick on Tuesday, October 13 . The champion gelding will face multiple rivals from last year's race, including runner-up I Catch Your Eye, third-place finisher Jimmy Newness, fifth-placed Sweet As Bro, and sixth-placed Angel's Fund .
Key Points
- Rising Star of Jiaying targets its 22nd consecutive victory for a Hong Kong-trained horse, having won last year's Everest from barrier 7 under Brett Prebtel
- No horse has won from an outside barrier in nine editions; 2024 winner Beautiful Granddaughter started from barrier 12 but faced only 11 runners
- Barrier draw creates unusual gate entry: horse will be second-to-last to enter, similar to being last in Hong Kong, risking impatience
- Main rival I Catch Your Eye draws barrier 1, while Jimmy Newness gets barrier 8 and Angel's Fund receives barrier 2
- Ranba's emerging sprinter Ninjutsu beat Rising Star of Jiaying in a 1000m Randwick trial and will start from barrier 3
Why It Matters
Rising Star of Jiaying's attempt to secure a 22nd consecutive win would further cement Hong Kong's status as a global powerhouse in sprint racing, with the champion's success attracting international attention to the city's training standards and breeding programme . A victory despite barrier 11 would rewrite Everest history and underscore the horse's exceptional class, potentially influencing future international competition invitations for Hong Kong-trained horses .
Rising Star of Jiaying's attempt to secure a 22nd consecutive win would further cement Hong Kong's status as a global powerhouse in sprint racing, with the champion's success attracting international attention to the city's training standards and breeding programme . A victory despite barrier 11 would rewrite Everest history and underscore the horse's exceptional class, potentially influencing future international competition invitations for Hong Kong-trained horses .