Ever the optimist and often quick to make it known when he thinks he’s got a winning chance, David Hayes was unusually reserved ahead of Ka Ying Rising’s dominant debut victory at Sha Tin on December 3.

After suggesting “it’ll be hard” for Ka Ying Rising to win, Hayes admitted after the three-year-old dismantled his rivals in a two-and-three-quarter-length romp that “I thought he was good but you have to hold your tongue a bit until they do it in a race”.

Following a testing 2022-23 season that saw a host of gallopers leave Hayes’ stable to join other yards, it’s understandable if the Hall of Fame handler wants to temper expectations.

The steady flow of departures has now stopped and Hayes is striving to work his way up the trainers’ premiership and into the top handful – the position he and plenty others expected he would be in when he returned to Hong Kong ahead of the 2020-21 season.

He has a couple of progressive types he hopes can drive the stable forward in Lucky Encounter and Global Harmony. In Ka Ying Rising, he could have another.

The son of Shamexpress lines up in Monday’s Class Three Cherry Handicap (1,200m), stepping straight into the grade after receiving a 10-point hike for his debut showing under Zac Purton.

“He was [very good] and the handicapper thought so too. I would say he has probably improved a little bit so I’d expect him to be very competitive again,” Hayes said.

“I think he’s a very progressive horse and I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t get above 80. He’s [rated] 62, so there’s a bit of wiggle room at the moment.”

Successful under Purton in a 1,200m dirt trial since his debut success, Ka Ying Rising will again be partnered by the reigning champion jockey on Monday despite his 117-pound impost, with connections agreeing to allow the Australian to ride two pounds over if needed.

“He certainly hasn’t gone backwards. He’s a competitive young horse, but he is only three so he’ll get better with age,” Hayes said of Ka Ying Rising, who locks horns with fellow progressive three-year-old Wunderbar and the in-form Mugen in the New Year’s Day contest.

Hayes saddles up Fantastic Treasure in the afternoon’s feature – the Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) – while he is looking forward to seeing Global Harmony get his chance to atone for an agonising second on the Hong Kong International Races undercard.

Slow away, Global Harmony travelled a long last before steaming home for second with a final 400m significantly quicker than what Lucky Sweynesse produced to win the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) two races later.

“It’s amazing when you’re in a Class Three and you run better sectionals than the international races and get beat, but that’s what happened. He does make a few mistakes but he’s in terrific form and he should be one of the favourites,” Hayes said.

“What happened was there was a horse who flipped in the gates. He always goes in late and the horse close to him flipped and he had to be reset. There was an extended wait and my horse is a bit temperamental and missed the start. Hopefully that doesn’t happen this time.”

Global Harmony chases his second win of the season in the Class Three Chinese Banyan Handicap (1,400m), with his international day conqueror, Chiu Chow Spirit, and Midori Burly, who ran second on Hong Kong debut, among his opponents.

“Every run has been outstanding this year and he gives me the impression he’s an upper-class horse,” Hayes said of Global Harmony.