Hugh Bowman has no doubt Hong Kong champ Ka Ying Rising can win The Everest.

“If he travels well, they won’t beat him. It’s that simple. He will be too good.”

Bowman should know. He’s chased Ka Ying Rising home several times and he knows the Aussie form.

He doesn’t believe there is any sprinter that will be able to go with the HK star when Zac Purton pushes the ‘GO’ button.

“He is top class. He cruises at top speed then quickens and having an Australian trainer (David Hayes) who know what type of horse you need to win The Everest is a big plus. I know David is keen to get back home and show Ka Ying Rising off to Aussie racing fans,” Bowman added.

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David Hayes has unfinished business when it comes to The Everest having prepared Vega Magic in the inaugural running of the world’s best sprint race where he finished a very unlucky second to Redzel back in 2017.

“I think if Vega Magic draws a barrier, he just about wins. It was a huge run,” Hayes told Ray Thomas following the race back in 2017.

Mail from inside the Hayes family suggests as soon as Ka Ying Rising started showing world class sprinting ability, David became laser focused on redemption.

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JOLIESTAR A WORTHY OPPONENT

I wonder if Bowman saw Joliestar’s win on Saturday!

Wow is the best way to describe the win of the Chris Waller trained mare in the Group One Kingsford Smith Cup.

Like David Hayes, Joliestar has unfinished business with The Everest following an unlucky run last year when finishing midfield behind Bella Nipotina.

Joliestar produced a run on Saturday that only elite horses are capable of. She had to overcome the Eagle Farm bias which until the final bound looked even out of reach of her.

“I don’t want to compare horses or performances but that last 100m was something else. I still can’t believe she won,” James McDonald said at Canterbury races on Monday.

I think she is clearly Australia’s best sprinter of the moment.

The question is, can she beat Ka Ying Rising?

I say she can.

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IF NOT JOLIESTAR WHO IS OUR BEST

If Joliestar isn’t our best sprinter what is?

Private Harry and Briasa are emerging, Jimmysstar has claims after his All-Aged Stakes win and you should keep your eye on Lady Shenandoah and Autumn Glow in the Spring, but Joliestar is top of the pedestal for mine.

When Jimmysstar beat her fair and square in the All Aged it had a lot to do with an absolute gem of a ride from Ethan Brown and if the two clash again I’m pretty sure I know which will be the shorter in betting.

I know my dad always tells me it is only the losers who need excuses, but, even though she boasts three Group One wins, I really think if the ball had bounced her way a little more in a couple of runs, Joliestar would have an even better record.

I am talking particularly about the two big ones last Spring, The Everest and the Golden Eagle. I think she was a certainty beaten in The Everest and she had a torrid run in the Golden Eagle.

Don’t be surprised either if the best is still to come from Joliestar. She goes to the paddock now in good health, she has been lightly raced with just 15 starts and she will come back in the Spring at the peak of her powers as a fully mature five-year-old mare.

Are there any other top-notch sprinters you can see emerging? Not at this stage but you just never know.

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CLOCK TICKING FOR GIGA

It has to be said despite the track bias against him and having to come from the rear of the field, Giga Kick was disappointing in the Kingsford Smith Cup.

He finished sixth, beaten over three lengths, and did not hit the line like he once did.

The clock is ticking on this great sprinter. It is now almost three years since his super The Everest win of 2022 and two years since his last win in the 2023 Doomben 10,000.

That said, Giga did run second to Bella Nipotina in last year’s The Everest.

Let’s hope he kicks back and I have to eat my words.

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KA CHING FOR SYDNEY WITH KA YING COMING

While on Ka Ying Rising, I was surprised to read criticism from an unnamed trainer of the ATC electing to lease their The Everest Spot to the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The whinge was the ATC should be giving their slot to a horse trained at an Australian Turf Club track.

Some people want everything. We all have to realise wagering drives racing, wagering ensures we have big prizemoney for all the races these Australian Turf Club trained horses compete in.

With Hong Kong taking up the lease it will ensure Ka Ying Rising runs in The Everest and that will push the punting turnover through the roof and hence return money to racing for prizemoney.

Turnover is the big reason why owners have their horse running for unprecedented prizemoney.

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HOW TO ALIENATE TRAINERS, WORKERS & JOCKEYS

Have you heard of the old expression, “the pot calling the kettle black”?

Bloodstock agent Suman Hedge had a crack last week about the cost of having a horse trained showing how out of touch of reality he is. Don’t get me wrong, racing has become too expensive but it isn’t from the daily charge of having a horse trained.

“The costs of racing are the major tipping point. It has gotten to a point where many owners have had enough. Paying $150+ per day to race at provincials relying on average jockeys on poorly designed/maintained tracks is not a recipe for longevity!”

The biggest concern for racing’s longevity, is the out-of-control yearling prices.

Before I explain how naive the tweet was, let me assure you the big breeders who are sitting on piles of cash as yearling prices and stallion fees continue to rise were not happy with the tweet drawing attention to them.

Staff wages, insurance policies, workers compensation, acceptance and nominations fees, float prices, stable rents, gear prices, farriers, and I haven’t mentioned the vets yet, are all increasing so let me tell you $150 a day is cheap.

If you had a horse race overseas in Europe or the US you would be paying higher training fees and you would be racing for much, much less prizemoney.

A $150 a day leaves less than a cup of coffee and in some cases it’s well short of what is needed to train a horse.

Workers need to pay rents and buy food and drink and what about their families?

Some have school fees, kids cost money and what about the costs of transport and are you permitting them to buy a treat every now and then?

You just need to watch the 6pm news of a night.

The costs of living is usually one of the lead stories. Aussie workers are struggling financially.

And for reference, the “average jockeys” as you put it, might think twice about putting their lives on the line next time you need a rider.

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VISITORS GET THE MAJORS & WHAT ABOUT SETH

Visiting trainers won all three Group One races at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Besides Chris Waller winning the Kingsford Smith Cup with Joliestar, Kris Lees won the Oaks with You Wahng and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton won the Derby with Maison Louis.

Perhaps You Wahng and Maison Louis won’t win another Group One in their careers, but you just never know in this racing game. Don’t forget Winx emerged big time from a three-year-old Brisbane winter campaign and victory in the Queensland Oaks.

Interestingly, in these classic staying features neither You Wahng nor Maison Louis are by imported stallions.

You Wahng is a daughter of the ever reliable So You Think and Maison Louis is by a stallion who is really starting to hit the high spots in Super Seth.

Super Seth, a son of Dundeel, had produced four G1 winners this season headed by Linebacker and stands at Waikato Stud for $NZ75,000.

It was interesting at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when Chris Waller, interviewed on Sky after the debut win of Frosty Girl, said he would be buying more Super Seth’s.

Christopher, let me tell you, you will be paying a bit more for them too.

Frosty Girl, by Super Seth and trained by Waller, came from last to score impressively and the win certainly won’t be her last.

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FAIRYTALES WARM THE HEART

I’m not just a hard-nosed punting type. I loved the story of Oh Too Good winning at Flemington on Saturday and he being the only horse in the stable of Pakenham trainer Kevin Daffy.

We can all dream and Oh Too Good is going to have a lot more good days judging by the ease of his win. He already boasts the impressive statistics of five wins and five placings from 11 starts that have amassed $548,000 in prizemoney.

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HOLD THE PRESS

What a super advertisement Front Page is for racing.

The super sprinter burst through the $3.5m prizemoney barrier when he won the Group Two 1200m Moreton Cup in Brisbane on Saturday and, in case you haven’t noticed, he is a rising nine-year-old.

He had his first start at Albury way back in February, 2020 and he has risen from a maiden win that day to scale the heights at Flemington, Randwick and Eagle Farm.

His appearance and zest for racing are a great credit to his original trainer Geoff Duryea and his current boss Matt Dale.

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WHEEL ALIGNMENT FOR RAIKKONEN

Spicy Martini got the chocolates last Wednesday in the Group Three Fred Best and will take her spot in Saturday’s Stradbroke but wow what a run by Raikkonen in defeat.

They don’t pay you on hard luck stories and for the owners and the punters who took the triple figures in the Stradbroke for the 3YO son of Shalaa it could be one that got away.

Raikkonen had to win the Fred Best to gain a start in the Stradbroke but after starting from the outside gate and travelling wide he finished fourth, beaten a length.

But for mine his run was clearly the run of the race and, although it means little, if he had drawn half a decent gate, he would be lining up in the Straddie.

On a brighter note, trainer Bjorn Baker and the owners are well aware they have a smart one on their hands and he will be lining up in some big races down the track.

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PRIDE RUNS COME TO AN END … JUST

Joe Pride left Randwick on Saturday with a spring in his step having prepared the last three winners on the card In Flight ($2.35), Headley Grange ($3.7) and Storm The Ramparts ($3.5).

On Sunday, he ventured up the M1 to Wyong with one runner Indefensible, and you know it, it won the last race of the day.

Monday came around and Joe loaded up the float to Canterbury with two runners The Black Cloud and Cosmonova albeit they were up against each other.

It was almost the perfect end to the long weekend until The Black Cloud was gunned down late.

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PUNTERS ARE TOUGH RESILENT TYPES

Isn’t it a great feeling when you have your last on Whinchat at $3.30 late in the day at Randwick and the first thing you here the commentator say is, “The favourite Whinchat has missed the start hopelessly, he has come out a long last.”

Unless you are a punter you don’t understand just how that feels. If you mowed the lawn on Saturday afternoon, or pruned the roses, or took the kids down the park for a swing, you just would not realise.

Lucky you.

To make matters worse, the sensationally backed second favourite Headley Grange, $3.70, wins the race and everybody else in the pub who had a bet seems to be on him and they are high fiving each other and laughing and cheering.

Why is it the favourite loses all hope at the start? Why the horse I back?

As they say, that’s racing.

Believe it or not I’ll be back next week and if you mow the lawn or prune the roses I bet you don’t have as much fun.

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UMMMMM MELBOURNE CUP GOLDEN TICKET

If you are asking yourself, what do we need to do to get Australia’s Great Race The Melbourne Cup back in the conversation, I bet giving a Golden Ticket into the race to the winner of a slog-fest on the dirt in America wouldn’t be the answer.

I gave the VRC credit last year for allowing Channel 9 Wide World Of Sports to spice up its approach to racing but this expensive exercise missed the mark.

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UMMMMM WHICH BOOKIE

Which corporate bookmaker was caught red-handed taking deductions from ALL IN betting tickets?

When questioned by a punter the first responder for the bookie listed the scratchings and stood firm. Luckily sanity prevailed further up the chain.

For any punters lucky enough to have backed a winner recently in the ALL IN market it wouldn’t hurt to double check. I wish I had a ticket to check.

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BLACKBOOKER – A WIN IS COMING

ERNAUX – She looks a cracking filly who was very impressive when finishing second on Wednesday at Warwick Farm. The winner went super in winning but the way this girl settled worked through her gears and hit the line suggests she is heading towards some nice races down the track.

DYAMI – The son of Rubrick was second at Warwick Farm on Wednesday and was put under pressure early when the leader skipped but after balancing up, he worked through the line strongly. With further fitness he is sure to be hard to beat wherever he lines up next.

DIALIDAE – The winner was far too good but the ye-catching run was handed in by the daughter of Wootton Bassett coming from well back to charge into third. She started good odds as the run was expected to help bring her on but wow, she was very good and looks above average.

EAGLE EXPRESS – The 3yo filly was first up at Sandown on Wednesday and judging by her appearance and price in betting she was expected to take plenty of benefit from the run yet she was only beaten a narrow margin. The 1200m is short of her best so expect good improvement as she steps up in distance with further fitness.