Bowman backs Private Eye to test Ka Ying Rising
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hugh Bowman believes Private Eye can make Saturday’s A$20 million Everest at Randwick far more than a one-horse race, even with Ka Ying Rising installed as the standout contender. Bowman, who rode 208 winners during his Hong Kong stint before returning to Australia in 2021, said he feels fortunate to partner a horse he thinks can threaten the world’s top-rated runner. Private Eye was second to Ka Ying Rising in last year’s Everest and has since won five races in a row, strengthening confidence in another clash over 1,200 metres. The race is scheduled for 1:15pm Hong Kong time on Saturday
Key Points
- The Everest at Sydney’s Randwick carries total prize money of A$20 million, about HK$109.5 million, and will be run over 1,200 metres on Saturday
- Bowman praised Ka Ying Rising as an exceptional horse after its 1:06.11 win in the Chief Executive’s Cup on September 6 set another Sha Tin 1,200-metre track record
- He said Private Eye’s sharp acceleration and contrasting racing style should make the contest more compelling, with the mare seen as a genuine upset chance
- Trainer Joe Pride said Randwick was rated heavy on Friday morning after 99 millimetres of rain during the week, conditions in which Private Eye is four-from-four
- Even so, Pride called Ka Ying Rising the horse to beat, while trainer David Hayes said the two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year has prepared well
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong racing followers, the race offers another international test of Ka Ying Rising’s standing after his record-breaking Sha Tin performance and current 21-race winning streak entering the defence. A successful title defence would also give him a 10th Group One win, drawing level with Golden Sixty for the second-most at the top level by a Hong Kong horse, behind only Romantic Warrior’s 15