The superstars of the Hong Kong scene dominated proceedings as both Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior overwhelmed G1 rivals at Sha Tin on Sunday [Jan 25]
Superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising (stays at #1, +47pt) underlined his status as the world’s leading racehorse as he equalled the Hong Kong record for consecutive victories with a 17th straight win at Sha Tin on Sunday [Jan 25].
With yet another bloodless victory in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup, the five-year-old matched the 17-race winning streak of Silent Witness. In the process, he confirmed his status as world #1 according to Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s exclusive Global Rankings with his 38th week at the top of the charts.
Sent off at a scarcely credible starting price of 1-100 on the HK tote for Sunday’s race, Ka Ying Rising exploded clear at the 300-metre mark before being allowed to coast home by jockey Zac Purton (#7 from #8, +40pt). He scored eased down by a length and a quarter, clocking a time of 1m07.66s – outside his own 1,200-metre track record of 1m 07.20s.
“The winning margin wasn’t probably the greatest, but it’s probably the most Zac has ever eased him down,” said trainer David Hayes (#8 from #9, +45pt). “So he had a very easy last 200 metres and he dominated as the market suggested he would.”
Hayes is now eyeing a track record over 1,400 metres (7f) in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup on Feb 22. “Last year, he worked a bit and won it, and I think he’s a stronger, better horse this year,” Hayes said.
“I think he will handle the 1400m beautifully. I’m really excited for the next race. It’s another dimension for him. Last year, he nearly broke the course record at 1400m, and I think if the conditions are right, he can go close again.”
As for Purton, he is running out of superlatives for Ka Ying Rising. “What can I say? We’ve said it all with the horse,” he commented.
“I’m surprised he run the time he run because it didn’t feel like he ran that quick sort of mid-early in the race. Yeah, he’s just different class.”
Stewards’ Cup: Romantic Warrior rules
On the same card, former world #1 Romantic Warrior (#3 from #4, +126pt) launched his bid for the Hong Kong Triple Crown with a commanding victory for his 12th G1 success in the Stewards’ Cup.
Dropping back to the metric mile against a strong field of local specialists at the distance, the world’s leading prize-money earner never looked in danger of defeat.
“His demeanour, his courage, his will to win, it’s just in spades,” said jockey James McDonald (stays at #2, +16pt). “It’s incredible. I say it every time, but when he steps out, it’s a privilege to ride such a horse of his calibre.”
Romantic Warrior took his career record to 21 wins from 28 starts by a length and three-quarters over the up-in-trip Lucky Sweynesse; dual HK Mile winner Voyage Bubble was only third.
The winner duly added the winner’s share of a HK$13m ($1.66m/£1.21m) purse to career earnings now totalling a staggering HK$247.38m ($31.7m/£23.1m).
Now eight and a four-time winner of the Hong Kong Cup for trainer Danny Shum (#18 from #20, +55pt), Romantic Warrior enjoyed a 40-week stint at the summer of our rankings before he was overtaken by compatriot Ka Ying Rising in April last year.
Indeed, his current status might even be higher were it not for a couple of arguably unlucky defeats last year in top international company when he went down by a neck to dirt specialist Forever Young in the Saudi Cup before getting touched off by Soul Rush in the Dubai Turf.
“He’s been unlucky in the past, but bumped into a very good horse. But he’s a warrior,” added McDonald.
Romantic Warrior is staying at home this time, with the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over his favoured 2,000 metres (1m2f) up next on March 1.
Pegasus World Cup: Fourth time lucky for ‘Skippy’
Fourth time was the charm for hard-knocking seven-year-old Skippylongstocking (#38 from #121, +191pt) as he pulled off a near-22-1 surprise in the tenth running of the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday [Jan 24]. (Pegasus X, if you must.)
Settled well off a hot pace set by market leader Disco Time (faded late after overdoing things), Skippylongstocking ran down last year’s winner White Abarrio inside the final furlong in a notable one-two for local Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph (#31 from #34, +14pt).
In a long career featuring 12 wins and more than $3.7m in purse money, the winner has bounced around the TRC Rankings. But though he had won his share of lucrative contests – two editions of the Charles Town Classic, a Hollywood Gold Cup and an Oaklawn Handicap among them – he had never before struck at G1 level.
“It’s amazing – at seven years old, he was doing better than ever,” Joseph said. “The Harlan’s Holiday was a big race. It was either, he was going to show up, or he was going to be retired. He showed up, but he did better since then.”
Elsewhere on a stakes-laden card, trainer Graham Motion (#79 from #105, +30pt) also landed a one-two as Test Score (#65 from #117, +100pt) held off ex-South African-trained One Stripe in the Pegasus World Cup Turf, while Godolphin’s Knightsbridge (#44 from #181, +241pt) cruised home in the G3 Fred Hooper. The five-year-old has won five-from-seven and looks destined for better things.
Dubai Carnival: Imperial Emperor reigns supreme
The Dubai Carnival action stepped up a notch with the ‘Fashion Friday’ card at Meydan featuring a pair of G1s. Admittedly, not necessarily the most exalted G1s ever witnessed, but G1s nonetheless.
Be that as it may, connections of Al Maktoum Challenge winner Imperial Emperor (#29 from #78, +186pt) will be targeting the Dubai World Cup after the Dubawi gelding held off late-running Tumbarumba by a length and a half on a four-win night for dual UAE champion trainer Bhupat Seemar (#30 from #74, +143pt).
Godolphin will also be looking be looking towards the big night – and specifically the Dubai Turf – with Opera Ballo (#33 from #70, +142pt) after a comfortable 2½ length win in the G1 Jebel Hatta under William Buick (stays at #4, +25pt), who had a Group-race treble on the card.
The son of Ghaiyyath has long been regarded as a G1 winner waiting to happen, and while this six-runner affair was hardly the most competitive event of its type, there was much to like in the way he quickened away in the closing stages under a confident ride.
“We felt that we had a good horse for some time,” said trainer Charlie Appleby (stays at #2, +5pt). “He’s still headstrong and William always says they can’t go fast enough for him. You need to hold onto him for as long as you can.”
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Saudi Cup likely for Nysos after Breeders’ Cup winner hits world top ten with another gutsy display
‘In a league of his own’ – imperious Ka Ying Rising reclaims #1 spot on world rankings
• Unlike traditional methods of racehorse rankings, TRC Global Rankings are a measure of an individual’s level of achievement over a rolling three-year period, providing a principled hierarchy of the leading horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and sires using statistical learning techniques. Racehorse rankings can be compared to similar exercises in other sports, like the golf’s world rankings or the ATP rankings in tennis.
They are formulated from the last three years of races we consider Group or Graded class all over the world and update automatically each week according to the quality of a horse’s performances and their recency, taking into account how races work out.