Despite earlier social media speculation – deemed “fake news” by connections – surrounding a potential scratching, Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising is confirmed as fit and ready to fire in Saturday’s Group 1 $20 million The Everest at Randwick.

Ka Ying Rising is a Hong Kong super sprinter down under for Saturday’s 2025 The Everest. Photo: Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Trainer David Hayes confirmed the five-year-old is going “great guns” and will start the odds-on favourite currently sitting top of The Everest odds at $1.75 through Ladbrokes.

The Shamexpress gelding, widely regarded as the fastest sprinter in the world, boasts a nearly flawless record of 14 wins from 16 starts and will be ridden by Zac Purton who has flow in for the ride.

Hayes addressed the online hysteria that briefly saw the horse drift significantly in markets, stating: “I got a call yesterday at lunchtime from JD, my son, and [SEN host] Gareth Hall had rung him and said his Twitter account had been hacked and sent out some false information and basically had him scratched, lame behind and not eating. That’s not the horse I’ve been training anyway. The phone went into melt down for probably six hours, but to use a Donald Trump-ism, it was fake news.”

The Hong Kong raider’s record over the 1200m journey is imposing (15:13-2-0), and he was last seen shouldering a demanding 61kg to a dominant two-length victory at Sha Tin on September 7. He has drawn midfield in barrier seven.

Waller’s Trio Leads Australian Charge

The primary local challenge comes from Chris Waller, a two-time The Everest winner, who saddles up three confirmed runners, led by the only other single-figure chance, the mare Joliestar ($6.50).

Joliestar, returning for her second Everest tilt, is a proven Group 1 performer with wins in the Newmarket Handicap and Kingsford Smith Cup.

Her spring campaign started with a dominant victory in The Shorts, and she’s drawn favourably in barrier five with James McDonald aboard.

Waller’s other runners are Lady Shenandoah ($14), who finished fourth in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes, drawn in barrier six, and Angel Capital ($21), who ran fourth in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke, from barrier three.

Key Rivals and Value Hopes

The next best in The Everest betting are Jimmysstar and War Machine, both paying $11.

The Ciaron Maher-trained Jimmysstar has emerged as a genuine Group 1 force, winning the Oakleigh Plate and All Aged Stakes in the autumn, where he defeated Joliestar.

He comes off a solid second to Briasa in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes and looks set to peak from barrier 11 with regular rider Ethan Brown.

The flying War Machine for Lindsay Park, trained by David Hayes’ sons Ben, Will, and JD, made a mess of his rivals fresh in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes with 60kg.

He looks good value from barrier four with Tim Clark.

Another top hope is the ultra-consistent Briasa ($14) for Team Hawkes, a genuine 1200m specialist boasting six wins from seven starts at the distance.

He’s a two-time winner at Randwick/1200m, having won the TJ Smith Stakes in autumn and the Premiere Stakes last start, making him cherry ripe from barrier ten with Tyler Schiller.

The light-weight three-year-old filly Tempted ($15) is the dark horse, coming off a third in the Group 1 Golden Rose.

She drew the inside alley, barrier one, with Craig Williams to ride.

The Everest 2025 is set to run as Randwick Race 7 at 4:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

2025 The Everest Field & Barriers

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