Hayes tells Purton ‘break the track record’ and Ka Ying Rising delivers

David Hayes didn’t want a victory lap – he wanted a statement.

So when Ka Ying Rising headed to the start of Sunday’s Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) chasing an 18th straight win – and a slice of Hong Kong racing history – Hayes’ message to Zac Purton was simple: don’t sit up, don’t nurse him and don’t protect the margin.

“I didn’t want Zac sitting up on him because I wanted him to break the track record - I said let him run through the post and let’s see how strong he is at 1400 meters,” Hayes said post-race.

Purton and Ka Ying Rising delivered – and then some.

“I had one instruction when I went out there, and it was ‘break the track record’,” Purton said. 

Ka Ying Rising surged away from elite company and stopped the clock at 1:19.36s smashing the Sha Tin 1400m track record and pushing past Silent Witness’ famed 17-race streak with win number 18. Purton had the five-year-old travelling sweetly in the early stages, sitting second before the gelding lengthened with a devastating change of gears.

The margin was emphatic: three-and-a-half lengths back to Helios Express, with Lucky Sweynesse third and Galaxy Patch fourth. A tail wind in the home straight and a sustained, uninterrupted run home helped Ka Ying Rising finish at full speed, ripping through a final 400m in 21.67 seconds.

Hayes watched it unfold with relief – first a clean start, then cruise control through the middle stages, followed by a trademark explosive final 400 meter sprint.

“First, when he jumped so well and then he cruised through the bend so well, it was probably at the 300 meters mark I could really enjoy it,” Hayes said. “I could tell he had the race at his command - then Zac went for him a bit more than he usually does and rode to instructions.”

Afterwards, Hayes called the result “a huge relief” – not because the horse had to prove he was the best, but because Hayes wanted the performance to match the occasion. Ka Ying Rising delivered the kind of moment that will be replayed for decades to come. 

“We are just so honored to have him,” he said. 

Purton, Hong Kong’s all-time leading rider, put the day in legacy terms – for horse, trainer and jockey. 

“We are etched in history forever now, it’s part of my legacy, part of David’s and part of Ka Ying Rising’s,” he said.

The plan for the remainder of this season, Hayes said, remains conservative and familiar: space between runs, minimal strain and a program built around the big targets.

The Group 2 Sprint Cup on April 6 is next, followed by the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize on FWD Champions Day on April 26. 

“He loves a month between runs,” Hayes said, adding that he would then “babysit” his champion through an identical program next season, which will include another trip to Australia to contest the Everest.

“Then we don’t have to train him too hard and just babysit him,” he said. “Hopefully he can get another clean sweep of the season with an Everest win in the middle.”