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By Ray Hickson

Did Ka Ying Rising leave the door ajar for his rivals in the TAB Everest after his first Australian appearance in a barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday?

Trainer David Hayes at Randwick for Ka Ying Rising's trial (Pic: Grant Guy).

That’s the question most pondered after he ran third in the 1000m course proper trial, on a track rated good 4 despite some overnight rain, behind Linebacker and one of his Everest rivals in Overpass.

The trial, run in 58.39, also contained two of Chris Waller's Everest runners Joliestar and Angel Capital along with King Charles III contenders Fangirl and Mr Brightside.

It wasn't quite a mixed review from jockey Zac Purton and trainer David Hayes who agreed the superstar will benefit from the gallop but had very different ways of expressing it.

Purton, who Hayes described as “often very pessimistic”, said the Hong Kong champion and world’s best sprinter was noticeably in need of the match practice on a surface he’s not used to.

“He was certainly feeling the moment a little bit and then carrying the extra condition, compared to his racing weight, on the softer ground he felt obviously it a little bit,’’ Purton said.

“The ground was a bit softer than what he’s used to.

“I thought he got through it okay, it’s a pass mark but I think he needs to be better on race day.

“He’s going to need to be at his best, the Australian sprinters are world class and we’ve had to travel down here and take them on, on a track that’s not really to our preference. At Sha Tin the track is a lot firmer and a lot faster.

“That’s the challenge we wanted to take and we look forward to it.”

Hayes, who Purton described as “the eternal optimist”, said it was important for Ka Ying Rising to have the gallop against other horses given he’s not had any competition since he won first-up at Sha Tin a month earlier.

The other crucial aspect of his Randwick appearance was for the horse, and his Chinese handlers, to get a feel for what he’ll be required to do on Everest Day including familiarising with the race day stalls and the Theatre Of The Horse.

Ka Ying Rising, a winner of 14 of his 16 starts in Hong Kong including his past 13 in a row, sweated up noticeably as he was parading in front of a healthy Tuesday morning crowd on hand to catch a glimpse.

“At Sha Tin he gets very edgy in the mornings going through the tunnels with all the horses and when Zac, or whoever is riding him, drops over his neck he relaxes straight away,’’ Hayes said.

“I think that was a bit typical of Ka Ying today. He will be better on race day but he’ll have to be, because there’s going to be 50,000 people here.

“He really needed a dress rehearsal, he was a bit fresh in the pre-parade, it's been a big help for him.”

Following the trial, Ka Ying Rising remained a $1.50 favourite with TAB to take out the Group 1 $20 million TAB Everest (1200m) in front of a sell out crowd on October 18.

Hayes, whose horse Vega Magic ran second in the inaugural running of the Everest, said it’s not just a matter of Ka Ying Rising turning up on the day and having the race handed to him – he has a healthy respect for the opposition which will include War Machine, trained by his sons Ben, Will and JD.

“There were a couple of horses racing pretty hard on his inside and I think Zac didn’t get involved which is nice,’’ Hayes said.

Ka Ying Rising runs third in a Randwick trial on October 7

“I thought the leader went flat out and Linebacker had a really good, hard, hitout. (Ka Ying) had a good blow, he’s about 20 pounds (just under 10kg) above his goal weight and (when you're) travelling that’s excellent and that will trim down.

“You’re coming down to Australia’s hotspot, the sprinting ranks. Asfoora has gone to England and is winning and she’s barely in this field so he's got to be at his best."

The five-year-old will have his final gallop on Monday at Canterbury, which is in line with his pattern in Hong Kong.

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