'It was fake news - my phone went into meltdown' - how hacked X account sparked rumours of world's best sprinter missing A$20m race

Ka Ying Rising's trainer David Hayes has set the record straight about the world's highest-rated sprinter's participation in Saturday's A$20 million The Everest after the rumour mill went into overdrive over the weekend.

Hayes poured cold water on claims Hong Kong's reigning Horse of the Year had fitness and eating issues and was a doubt for the Everest, saying that a media commentator’s X account "had been hacked and sent out some false information".

"It basically had him scratched – lame behind and not eating," Hayes added. “That’s not the horse I’ve been training, anyway. The phone went into meltdown for probably six hours. It was fake news."

On the back of the rumours, Ka Ying Rising drifted considerably in local fixed-odds markets while some of his key rivals shortened. The noise even prompted TAB to briefly suspend betting on the race, which sent the speculation into overdrive.

Ka Ying Rising silenced all the talk by completing his final piece of work at Canterbury on Monday morning.

"We're really happy with him," said Hayes. "He just went out on the beautiful Canterbury track this morning and ran home [his last three furlongs] in 38 [seconds] under a nice hold. His recovery was excellent.

Ka Ying Rising: Hong Kong star set for Aussie bidCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"I think he’s ready to rumble. He's made the progression we thought he would and we're really expecting a bold showing."

Hayes is hoping for an inside draw at Randwick for Ka Ying Rising, who is a warm order for the world's richest turf race, which carries a winner's purse of A$7m (£3.4m/€3.9m).

"I think as close to the rail as possible, that would be best," he said. "In Hong Kong, they jump and really go hard because they've only got 200 metres to the turn, in Sydney they've got a nice 600-700-metre run. 

"The tempo is not quite as hectic, so the barrier is not so important for him. He's got incredible gate speed and he's got the ability to take a sit, so he's pretty foolproof."

Last month, the Hong Kong sensation extended his winning streak to 13 in the Chief Executive's Cup with an impressive weight-carrying success over four-time G1 winner Lucky Sweynesse, who was receiving 9lb from the long odds-on favourite.

Read these next:

Show-stopping Flat season finale at Ascot headlines a week in which some big jumps names could return 

Economics set to join 'the three best horses in Europe' as cast for barnstorming Champion Stakes gains another star 

Champions Day could have quickest ground for nearly a decade as teams weigh up supplementary entries for Group 1 feast 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.