Ka Ying Rising’s record-breaking winning run was ended at Randwick on Saturday, when the Hong Kong superstar was beaten by a head in the Group 1 The Everest over six furlongs, the world’s richest turf race.

Chasing back-to-back victories in the A$20 million sprint, the David Hayes-trained star finished powerfully from midfield but went down by inches to Tempted, a four-year-old filly by Street Boss, trained by Ciaron Maher for Godolphin.

Drawn wide in stall 11, Ka Ying Rising was unable to hold his usual spot at the head of affairs under Zac Purton, while Tempted enjoyed the run of the race from gate one, sitting just behind the leader.

Chad Schofield, who previously rode in Hong Kong, kicked Tempted to the front soon after turning for home and the filly quickly opened up a break, then dug deep to hold off Ka Ying Rising’s late charge.

Hayes blamed the outside draw for the defeat, which brought the gelding’s run of consecutive wins – a record for a Hong Kong-trained horse – to a halt at 21.

“He settled a bit further back and wider than I hoped, the winner got a dream run and put five lengths on him and he got beaten a head,” Hayes said.

“So, he was good. He showed a different key to his tricks really, to come from off the pace and finish like that.

“Sometimes 11 can be a bonus, but he got caught wide. The first and third horses cut the corner and really had dream runs, and we had a horror [run] being six-wide, no cover. But he was brave, and I love the way he finished, but I hate the result.”

Purton revealed Ka Ying Rising was slow to respond when asked for an effort early in the straight, only finding his stride in the closing stages.

“I thought it was a very good run, he just got a little bit lost coming into the straight and it felt like he was really struggling but when the horse on the outside came to him, that’s when he clicked into gear and started to give me something,” Purton said.

“He was good to the line – very good heart.

“He prefers [the track to be] dry, but he got through it okay. Every horse that went forward finished out the back so it didn’t work out for them, either.”

The nine-time Group 1 winner now heads home to Hong Kong, where he is set to line up in next month’s Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint before December’s Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint, both also over six furlongs. Hayes added that the champion “hopefully might come back next year” to seek revenge in The Everest.

In a tight finish, Joliestar was just a neck away in third.

Tempted was reversing last year’s Everest placings with Ka Ying Rising and has now won six in a row since that loss. A switch in tactics was key for the winner, who raced much handier than usual from her inside barrier.

Schofield, who rode more than 200 winners in Hong Kong before moving to Australia in 2021, was delighted to get the better of Ka Ying Rising.

“I normally just ride her to relax and trust her to be far too good late,” Schofield said of Tempted.

“But it was a different race today. We had the world’s best sprinter, the world’s best horse. I had eyes for him, and I knew he wasn’t up there and I held my spot and kept him deep and I’m pretty sure that made Zac to come back.

“From there, I had the perfect trip. I came off from behind the two leaders, and I hit the front very early, a long way out. But she’s such a good horse, she’s so brave and so game.”

Maher said he was sure Tempted was ready to deliver a career-best effort, though he acknowledged Ka Ying Rising was “a freak of nature”.

“I always had an air of confidence she would run her best race today,” Maher said.

“You could see the way she was building through it. Chad knew what he had under him and I felt barrier one was ideal. She had to be at her absolute best and she was.”

“I think if he drew a barrier, he would have been maybe three or four lengths closer and different barrier, different result. But the filly was terrific – she quickened and went through them and loved the ground."

Caulfield Cup

Also on Saturday, the Irish export Kingswood won the Caulfield Cup at Caulfield under Cork-born jockey Johnny Allen.

When trained on the Curragh by John O'Donoghue, Kingswood (by Roaring Lion) won a maiden at Cork in 2023 and placed third in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh.

Now trained by Gavin Bedggood, the six-year-old won a Group 1 race in New Zealand last Christmas and on Saturday added a second when winning the 12-furlong Caulfield Cup by half a length.

The Roger Varian-trained Enfjaar finished third and has been cut to as low as 10/1 for the Melbourne Cup. Joseph O'Brien's runner Starford was unplaced.

There was drama in the home straight when last year's Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours was one of two fallers. The horse was said to have only suffered minor cuts and his jockey Mark Zahra was taken to hospital but is not believed to be seriously hurt.

Jye McNeil, rider of the other faller, walked away unscathed but his mount Ohope Wins had to be put down due to his injuries.