World's Top Sprinter Ka Ying Rising Eyes Everest Defense as Lucky Kelly Completes Field
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Australian four-year-old mare Lucky Kelly has secured the sixth and final starting slot for the A$20 million Everest (1200m Group 1), set to take place on October 17 at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. The Sha Tin-trained champion Ka Ying Rising, currently the world's highest-rated sprinter , will conduct an important 1000m trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning as part of his preparations to defend the prestigious title. Vincent Moore, a nine-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey, will make the trip to Australia to ride Ka Ying Rising in the trial , while trainer David Hayes will also attend Randwick in person to oversee the workout. Should Ka Ying Rising succeed on October 17, he would extend his winning streak to 22 consecutive victories and secure his 10th Group 1 title, matching the legendary Golden Sixty .
Key Points
- Lucky Kelly joins the Everest field after finishing second to Touching in the Premiere Stakes at Randwick last Saturday
- Ka Ying Rising will trial on Tuesday with six other horses including likely Everest rivals Zaoli Xing, Angel Fund, Ninjutsu, and Ice Agent
- The A$20 million (approximately HK$108.9 million) Everest is the world's richest turf race on 1200m
- Ka Ying Rising won the Everest last year as the first overseas horse to claim the title, now seeking to defend
- Touching is currently considered by Australian racing circles as the strongest threat to Ka Ying Rising's title defense
Why It Matters
The Everest represents the pinnacle of Australian sprint racing, and Ka Ying Rising's participation underscores Hong Kong's growing influence in international thoroughbred racing. With his 21-race winning streak and status as the world's top-rated sprinter, the champion's performance will carry significant implications for Hong Kong's reputation in the global racing community and could attract increased investment in local breeding and training programs.