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KA YING RISING CELEBRATION \/ G1 The Everest \/\/ Randwick Racecourse \/\/\/ 2025 \/\/\/\/ Photo by Idol Horse<\/p>\nAmidst the free-flowing Dom Perignon and congratulatory backslaps in the winning owners\u2019 room at Royal Randwick after Ka Ying Rising\u2019s astonishing The Everest win, David Hayes and owner Leung Shek-kong made one thing very clear: \u201cWe\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the Australian Turf Club\u2019s Nevesh Ramdhani closed the door to the plush suite and the noise from the packed-out crowd disappeared, Leung\u2019s travelling party, along with a few Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) officials, David and Prue Hayes, and Nicole Purton, grabbed a flute of champagne and turned to the two big screens that were showing a replay of the race on repeat.<\/p>\n
There was almost a collective sigh of relief. They had completed their audacious international mission and connections could barely believe it.<\/p>\n
After some congratulatory words from the chairman of the ATC, Tim Hale, and Tabcorp\u2019s chief executive, Gillon McLachlan, the baton was passed to Leung to offer a speech.<\/p>\n
The owner, whom HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges called \u201cone of the biggest supporters of Hong Kong racing,\u201d is not usually afraid of the spotlight, often seen standing front and centre in winning photos in his colourful array of suits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Leung was taken aback when he stepped up to the microphone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks for the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club in all aspects, I\u2019m really really touched,\u201d he said, having to step away momentarily as he choked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would also like to thank the Hayes team. There\u2019s a team sent to Sydney for a whole month to get him well prepared for the race. They did a great job training and taking care of Ka Ying Rising. I would like to thank Zac for his fantastic ride, a very good jump and amazing technique. I would like to thank you for the support from all the fans in Hong Kong.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
KA YING RISING CELEBRATION \/ G1 The Everest \/\/ Randwick Racecourse \/\/\/ 2025 \/\/\/\/ Photo by Idol Horse<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t take long for Hayes to start talking about next year\u2019s race. The showman, who jokingly called bookmakers \u201csilly buggers\u201d immediately after the race for offering even money about Ka Ying Rising, was more than happy to pose for selfies with his Everest trophy after the presentation.<\/p>\n
After one of his photos with a group of lads, who were carrying cans of Jim Beam bourbon and cola in one hand and Ka Ying Rising flags in the other, Hayes put his hand to his mouth and shouted \u201csee you next year\u201d which was met with rapturous cheers.<\/p>\n
Behind closed doors in the winning owners\u2019 room, he stopped for a moment and gazed longingly into his Everest trophy in its presentation box. The realisation of what he and all the team had achieved was setting in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many people to thank,\u201d he said when he stepped up to the microphone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got a wonderful team of staff and the pressure the boys were under when that Twitter attack happened \u2013 thank god they don\u2019t read English very well \u2013 but they did a fantastic job.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course there\u2019s Zaccy Purton the pessimist. He rides more short-priced horses than anyone and gets the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n
After thanking the HKJC and ATC, Hayes also admitted that he has now found himself spending a bit too much time on X \u2013 formerly Twitter \u2013 after his wife, Prue, taught him how to use it following the Ka Ying Rising rumours that spread on the platform last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019ve missed so many people, like my wife, who\u2019s put up with me for the last 10 days,\u201d he said. \u201cShe taught me how to use Twitter and god I wish she didn\u2019t. I\u2019m addicted now \u2013 just as a follower, not a user though.\u201d<\/p>\n
He ended his speech much in the way Leung did, looking ahead to The Everest 2026. The trainer mentioned they will likely \u201crinse and repeat\u201d this campaign, providing all goes well from now onwards.<\/p>\n
More immediately, Ka Ying Rising will return to Hong Kong on Tuesday and be trained out of Sha Tin\u2019s quarantine stables until November 4. The five-year-old will be prepared for a defence of December\u2019s Hong Kong Sprint, after which he will likely target the same programme as last season \u2013 January\u2019s Centenary Sprint Cup, February\u2019s Queen Silver Jubilee Cup over 1400m and April\u2019s G1 Chairman\u2019s Sprint Prize on Champions Day.<\/p>\n
His success in Sydney was summed up by Engelbrecht-Bresges following the monumental day for Hong Kong racing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s an absolute global champion and it was great to see the reception from the crowd, who recognised they were watching a global champion,\u201d he said. \u201cIt shows that, if you bring world class racing, you can make it a real global sport.\u201d \u220e<\/p>\n
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Related<\/p>\n
Lights, Camera, Ka-Ching: Ka Ying Rising And The Everest\u2019s Cross-Cultural Reach<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Related<\/p>\n Ka Ying Rising The First International Winner Of The Everest<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/R7-Ka-Ying-Rising-NZ-ridden-by-Zac-Purton_1219903_Courtney-scaled.jpeg\")
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