Zac Purton wary of Ka Ying Rising weight challenge in season-opening feature

By Leo Schlink
Preparing to resume a relentless chase of Douglas Whyte’s all-time Hong Kong record for the most wins by a jockey, Zac Purton acknowledges the daunting historical challenge facing Ka Ying Rising in the HK$3.72 million Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 September).

“No horse has won this race as top weight,” Purton said. “So, it’s a big challenge. Obviously, it’s a race that suits those younger horses coming through that are progressive. Ka Ying Rising falls into that category but he has to carry top weight (135lb) and no horse has carried top weight and won this race. That tells you how big a task it is going to be for him.”

Since 1997, only two horses — The Duke in 2004 and Winners Way in 2018 — have carried 130lb and triumphed but neither carried the number one saddlecloth.

Resuming after a stellar debut season, crowned by five wins from seven starts and a rise from 52 in the ratings to 111, the four-year-old will concede weight to all nine rivals this weekend — Flying Ace (131lb), Lucky With You (127lb), Majestic Knight (127lb), Packing Treadmill (123lb), Beauty Charge (119lb), Superb Capitalist (118lb), Beauty Waves (115lb), Harmony N Blessed (115lb) and Baby Crystal (115lb).

Reinforcing the challenge facing the 2023/24 Hong Kong Champion Griffin and Most Improved Horse are the most recent two editions of the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup. Lucky Sweynesse (2022) and Victor The Winner (2023) both carried 115lb to victory and proceeded to Group 1 wins in the same season.

Partnered by Purton, Lucky Sweynesse finished second in last year’s running under 135lb to Victor The Winner.

Purton is also aware of Ka Ying Rising’s relative youth and inexperience as the last-start G3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) winner returns in search of a fifth consecutive triumph.

“He’s only an early four-year-old and he’s got an awkward gate (barrier seven) as well, so he’s got it all against him and he’s coming into the race with one trial under his belt. So, we’re going to find out how good he is.”

Purton believes Beauty Waves, who has drawn barrier two for Alexis Badel, is an obvious danger.

With 1,740 Hong Kong wins to his credit, Purton requires a further 73 victories to equal Whyte’s towering mark of 1,813 wins.

Bidding for an eighth Hong Kong championship, Purton said: “It just comes down to the support I get, really — if the owners and trainers support me like they have done previously, there’s no reason why I can’t continue to do well. Ultimately, my success comes down to the support I get.

“I’ve been pushing myself hard to get back into shape and lose weight after the off-season, but my weight is good, I feel fit and all the hard work has been done now. I’ve been waiting these past few days to go back into battle again and to get the ball rolling.”

Purton hopes Dennis Yip-trained Fast Network, who contests the Class 4 Lantau Peak Handicap (1000m), can figure strongly on Sunday.

“I thought his trial was really good and he won nicely last season,” Purton said. “He feels like he’s come on since then, which he’s going to need to because he’s got more weight now, but I did like his trial.”

Last season’s Hong Kong champion trainer Francis Lui is represented by Packing Treadmill and Baby Crystal in the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup.

“Packing Treadmill is honest but I think his rating is at its top. Baby Crystal is a 1000m horse but I need to run him,” Lui said.

Reflecting on last season’s rollercoaster final meeting when the veteran handler won four of the last five races to claim the title 70-69 over Pierre Ng, Lui said: “It was so exciting, that last day, and I’m very happy to get the championship, but now it just feels the same as the start of any season.

“Maybe the horses need a little bit of time to progress their condition. The ratings have all gone up and I’m looking to the young horses now.

“Honestly, I don’t have many Class 4 horses, the 52-rated horses — I think this is very important. You have need to have three of four horses who can deliver three or four wins.”

Sunday’s (8 September) season-opening, 10-race fixture at Sha Tin starts at 12.50pm with the Class 5 Kowloon Peak Handicap (1600m).