Having ridden in six previous editions of The Everest (1200m) as well as multiple clashes with Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong, jockey James McDonald has a good idea of what to expect when the world’s highest-rated sprinter makes his Australian debut in the A$20 million feature at Randwick on Saturday.
McDonald is the only jockey to have ever beaten Ka Ying Rising, twice edging out the New Zealand-bred champion aboard Wunderbar at Sha Tin in January 2024.
Since then, McDonald has been among the beaten brigade on several occasions during the Shamexpress gelding’s spectacular 13-race winning streak, including the Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m).
But McDonald is well aware that Ka Ying Rising faces a very different challenge in Saturday’s Everest. McDonald won the world’s richest sprint aboard Nature Strip in 2021, while his five other rides in the race have produced a fourth (Nature Strip, 2022), a sixth (Hawaii Five Oh, 2023) two sevenths (Nature Strip, 2020 and Joliestar, 2024) and an 11th (Arcadia Queen, 2019).
McDonald will ride the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar on Saturday for Cambridge Stud owners Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay.
“Ka Ying Rising is a superstar, he’s an absolute superstar,” McDonald said. “If he brings his Sha Tin form, he’s sometimes almost impossible to beat, the way his figures read. I’ve ridden some good horses against him and he’s made them look pretty second-rate, to be fair.
“But this is a different kettle of fish. This is probably the toughest test to date for him and he’s going to know he’s in a horse race, especially with the likes of Jimmysstar, Briasa, Joliestar and Lady Shenandoah coming at him. He’s going to have to be at the top of his game.”
Joliestar will be one of three runners in the race for Waller, who has celebrated previous Everest wins with Yes Yes Yes in 2019 and Nature Strip two years later. The champion trainer will also saddle Lady Shenandoah and Angel Capital.
“The best thing about Ka Ying Rising being in the race is that it brings an international flavour to this year’s event,” Waller said. “That’s what we want to see here in Australia.
“We’ve got the best sprinters in the world and we take them overseas and normally get it right. So to see the horse coming here with the world’s highest rating, Australia has got something to prove.
“Having that international flavour gives more credit to the race, it’s taking the world’s imagination and everybody will be watching The Everest on Saturday afternoon. Let’s hope that Australia – our horses – can beat Ka Ying Rising, because he’s a superstar.
“All three of ours are, in my eyes, good enough to win the race and every horse will have to be at their best to win the race. It’s just a great contest. It’s no different to an Olympic sprint final – everyone has to be at on their game, get a good clean start and have everything go their way and you need to be strong over the last metres of the race.
“It’s the best of the best coming together on Saturday at Randwick. It’s an exciting race, the build-up has been huge, it’s a sell-out crowd. They’re all eager to find out the result.
“All I can say is Joliestar, she’s a mature mare now, she’s in the zone now, great first-up win. Lady Shenandoah is coming off that defeat, but there were legitimate reasons for it and we think she’s a rising star and will be there next year in The Everest as well.
“And Angel Capital is the unknown. He’s a rising star, like Lady Shenandoah, he hasn’t won at the elite level yet but the things we see at home on the training track are quite phenomenal and if he brings that to the races from his good draw (three), he could beat them all.”
Ka Ying Rising will start from barrier seven under Zac Purton on Saturday.
The TAB rates him a $1.80 favourite, with Joliestar the second elect at $6.50.