Tempted Ends Ka Ying Rising's Streak in Everest

A meticulous 12-month plan bore fruit in the richest possible way when Tempted (AUS) dug deep to cause a massive upset in toppling Ka Ying Rising (NZ) in the Oct. 17 The Everest (G1), avenging her defeat to him in the event last year. Guided beautifully by Chad Schofield in his first ride in the world's most lucrative race on turf, Godolphin's newly confirmed superstar filly scored a brave win for the ages in a 10th edition of the weight-for-age, AU$20 million feature that became a tale of two barriers. From gate 1 of 12, the flying 4-year-old Tempted pushed up closer than usual to track the two leaders on the fence. With two horses to her outside, this helped force Ka Ying Rising—jumping from barrier 11—to travel four wide, mostly without cover, just behind them, and further back than expected in midfield. Tempted was exposed for what in a race like this counts as an age, spearing through a gap to hit the lead at the 300 meters with a decisive break. The packed crowd waited for Ka Ying Rising's traditional finish, and from his backward position the AU$1.35 Hong Kong wonder horse began to deliver. But while he was mowing Tempted down in the closing 50 meters, the post arrived a stride too soon for him. Tempted, who had her backers for an upset when firming from AU$7 to start AU$6.50 second elect, held on to score by a neck over the David Hayes-trained top-rated horse in the world, ending his win streak at 21. Chris Waller's redoubtable Joliestar (AUS) turned in another superb effort to finish third on the inside, another neck away after being passed late by Ka Ying Rising. Matt Smith's Headwall (AUS) performed superbly for a close-up fourth at AU$51. Most of the talk around the 10th Everest will surround Purton's ride, and whether he should have pushed the champion forward early to sit outside the leaders, merely three wide. "Sometimes gate 11 can be a bonus," Hayes said, "but he got caught wide and he settled a bit farther back than we thought he would. "The first and third horse cut the corner and really had dream runs and we had a horror, being six wide, no cover. But he was brave, and I loved the way he finished, but I hate the result." Still, Tempted deserves full credit for extending her winning streak to six, and remaining unbeaten since her 1 1/4-length second to Ka Ying Rising as a 3-year-old filly in The Everest 12 months ago. An ecstatic Ciaron Maher indicated the result had confirmed for him how special Tempted was, and sparked the long-range plan for revenge that was realized Saturday. She was spelled after that Everest, only three runs into her spring campaign, rather than chase more riches in Melbourne. She had just three more starts in the autumn, the middle peg being her first elite win in the Surround Stakes (G1). She then came into The Everest off barnstorming wins in the Concorde Stakes (G2) and Premier Stakes (G2), the latter by 3 lengths in a last-to-first romp. "I'm thrilled for Godolphin," Maher said. "A lot of horses don't reach their full potential but Godolphin has been very patient with Tempted. We could have taken her to Melbourne last spring but we didn't. "We put her away for autumn and gave her a light autumn with a view of reaching her full potential. She is something special." By Godolphin's uber-successful stallion Street Boss and, alongside Kallos (AUS), one of two multiple group winners for the mare Calliope (AUS), Tempted followed Bella Nipotina (AUS) as Maher's second Everest winner in three runnings. And the master trainer said he was confident she might cause an upset before the race. "Amazing. I thought she'd run a PB today," he said. "Just (because of) her preparation. She smashed them last start and I knew barrier 1 was ideal. "I'm thrilled. We knew we had to take a (forward) position. Chad knew what he had underneath him. She had to be phenomenal and she was." Schofield said he was hugely impressed by the way Tempted hung on to win after hitting the front so early, admitting he was waiting for Ka Ying Rising to come. "I normally just ride her to relax and trust her to be far too good late," he said. "But it was a different race today. We had the world's best horse in it. I had eyes for him. I knew he wasn't up there and I sort of held my spot, and kept him deep. I'm pretty sure that made Zac have to (go) back. "From there I had the perfect trip. I hit the front very early, a very long way out, but she's such a good horse, she was so brave and so game and we knocked them off." He added: "She's getting better. I rode her as a 3-year-old and she came back so much stronger. She was amazing first-up, she was even better second-up. I reckon she went to a new level there today. "She's had three runs this prep and got better each time. Why won't she keep improving now as a 4-year-old?" After coming into the race seemingly more confident than last year, when Ka Ying Rising had a somewhat checkered preparation in his first overseas trip, Hayes' only concern had been the prospect of a heavy track after rain early in the week. But after sunnier conditions, Randwick Racecourse was a Soft 5 by race time, and instead the barrier draw was named chief culprit for ending Ka Ying Rising's phenomenal winning run. "The ground was perfect—it was the barrier," Hayes said. "We actually thought the barrier would be a bonus, but it turned the wrong way for us." Purton's postrace summation was restricted to: "He ran well. Good effort." Hayes added the 6-year-old Ka Ying Rising would now return to Hong Kong for Hong Kong International Races day and Champions day, but would "hopefully" be back for his third Everest next year.