Ka Ying Rising, the star of Hong Kong horse racing, suffered his first defeat in 22 starts on Saturday at the Everest Sydney, known as the richest turf race in the world. The six-year-old mare, ridden by Zac Purton, was a leading contender in the race but ultimately settled for second place due to an unfavorable draw at the starting line.
Tempest's Victory and Financial Prizes
Tempest, ridden by Chad Schofield, had finished second in the same race last year but this time delivered an outstanding performance to take first place, securing a prize worth 7 million Australian dollars (equivalent to 4.9 million US dollars). Julie Star, trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, finished in third place.
Challenges on the Racecourse
Tempest performed well in this race considering the recent rains and soft ground. While Ka Ying Rising is recognized as the best breed of horse in the world, the ground conditions seemed to affect his performance. He was in sixth place halfway through the race and could not close the gap to the competitors in time. Tempest, who started from the first line, was at the forefront from the beginning to the end and finished the race in his favor with a final leap.
The Everest race is held over a distance of 1200 meters and brings together 12 of the best sprinters in the world in a competition based on weight and age. This race, recognized as a highlight of the Sydney Spring Carnival, has a prize pool of 20 million Australian dollars and is known as the richest turf race in the world and the second richest race in the world after the Saudi Cup, which is held on dirt. Even horses that finish last receive a prize of 700,000 Australian dollars.
