Our Hong Kong expert Graham Cunningham previews Monday's action at Sha Tin.
Hayes rues the high road as Rising falls short of Everest summit
The streak is over and the inquest is ongoing.
It’s hard to blame soft surface alone for Ka Ying Rising’s Everest defeat given that the winning time was almost identical to the one he recorded on good ground when beating Tempted in the same race 12 months ago.
The fact that the world’s highest rated horse was drawn 11 didn’t help, especially once Zac Purton opted not to drive forward, and a valiant charge came just too late as Tempted snagged the saloon passage and held on by a neck under former HK rider Chad Schofield.
Purton was typically terse in the immediate aftermath, while trainer David Hayes rued the wide barrier in saying “he was brave and I love the way he finished, but I hate the result."
A few Twitter trolls seemed amused by the outcome – this is 2026, after all – but the value of resilience was on vivid display at Ascot on Saturday when the world’s second-best horse bounced back from a reverse with a thunderous Champion Stakes success.
We may not see Ombudsman on the track again, but Ka Ying Rising will be back on home soil for the Jockey Club Sprint on November 22 and the team behind him will be doubly determined to see him put on a show when he bids for a third consecutive Longines Hong Kong Sprint on December 13.
Monday’s Sha Tin holiday card provides a chance for some of the best milers in town to stake an early HKIR claim, with former Triple Crown hero Voyage Bubble and Champions Mile hero My Wish bidding to give lumps of weight to dangerous members of last season’s Classic crop like Sky Jewellery and Stormy Grove in the Sha Tin Trophy at 9.05.
Early signs suggest My Wish will head the market at around 2.6 with Purton stepping in for the sidelined Hugh Bowman and Mark Newnham’s admirable gelding has looked razor sharp in winning three barrier trials over the last five weeks.
He’s 10lb higher than when winning this £515,000 G2 handicap with authority last year but he looks bound to go very close with SKY JEWELLERY – 7lb out of the handicap yet firmly on the up after a highly encouraging reappearance win – as the obvious Quinella candidate.
Purton has a string of leading chances peppered among his ten Monday mounts and ACE EAGLE looks one of the most interesting horses of the day in the Lung Hang Handicap at 8.35.
Ka Ying Radiance looks the solid saver and Q contender here after going close to justifying File confidence recently, but Ace Eagle looked a winner in waiting over this course and distance in June.
David Eustace’s Aussie import was well backed for his debut that day and showed a very impressive cruising speed, surging well clear off the home turn only to be run down by a bang-in-form rival who had the advantage of Nichola Yuen’s hefty 10lb claim close home.
A 2lb rise for finishing well clear of the remainder looks very fair and, fresh from a couple of encouraging trials, Ace Eagle ought to take a power of beating with Zac back aboard and an ideal draw in gate 3.
Purton and Yuen loom large among the possible dangers when the exciting Mr Incredible makes his reappearance in the Lek Yuen Handicap at 9.40.
This gelding won three from four in his first season, signing off with a commanding success when crushed into 1.2 in June, and his trainer Brett Crawford is confident that he can make a mark in the 2027 Classic Series if all goes well.
His optimism looks well founded, but bear in mind that Mr Incredible has been hiked 10lb and has a wide draw, with connections hinting that they don’t want him to have too hard a race on his reappearance.
Innate class might win out in what shapes up as a strongly run race, but THOUSAND SPIRIT appeals as one who could give the favourite more to do than the market suggests.
This gelding came on nicely for his first run of the season when staying on strongly for third on his latest start.
He’ll probably be ridden closer to the pace this time and, with Newnham opting to take advantage of Yuen’s reduced 7lb allowance for the first time, this lad looks a sporting alternative to the jolly at much longer odds.
Purton partners what could be the shortest priced favourite of the day when Packing Fighter lines up for the Sha Kok Handicap at 10.15 and this Irish import – known as Maestro Mark when landing a Gowran maiden on his sole start for John Joseph Murphy – came back from his summer break with a runaway success from the front late last month.
It’s hard to fault what Danny Shum’s gelding achieved that day, especially as he lowered the Class 3 record for 1600m, but the handicapper has hit him with a 13lb rise for a race that could produce more pace pressure.
On balance, I’m tempted to look for a bit of value by taking two against the jolly, namely JOYFUL JOY and MASTER LUCKY.
Joyful Joy made it two wins from three starts by wearing Master Lucky down close home over 1400m in a race run at a searching gallop on his reappearance.
The step up to a mile looks sure to suit, while Master Lucky confirmed that he’s returned in good heart with a strong finishing fourth recently and is another to note in receipt of a hefty 19lb from the topweight.
Monday’s Sha Tin Selections
8.35: Ace Eagle/Ka Ying Radiance
9.05: My Wish/Sky Jewellery
9.40: Thousand Spirit (EW)
10.15: Joyful Joy/Master Lucky
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