Two of Hong Kong’s most exciting up and comers broke through at Group level at Sha Tin on Sunday night, with Galaxy Patch finally getting his first taste of feature success and Ka Ying Rising delivering at the first time of asking.

Stepping into open company at just his seventh start, Ka Ying Rising lived up to his $1.7 quote by snaring the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) with relative ease despite being eight pounds out of the handicap.

“All credit to the horse. He’s a progressive young fella and I think he’s got a bright future in Hong Kong,” said jockey Karis Teetan after standing high in his irons as Ka Ying Rising stopped the clock at 1:08.

“He gives you the feel of a good horse. I was pretty happy to get some cover and I could just feel that he was ready for me to press the button.”

After settling Ka Ying Rising one out, one back, Teetan eased his mount out on straightening and the three-year-old finished with enough authority to leave his trainer plotting a course to December’s Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m).

“What I loved is Karis could just put him in the one-one and give him a beautiful trip,” said David Hayes after bottom weight Ka Ying Rising defeated Flying Ace by a length and a quarter, with Group One winners Victor The Winner and Invincible Sage further back in the field.

“Karis said he was sort of switching off late, day dreaming and being a bit young, but when it’s time to push the button, he’s got incredible acceleration and he ran 1:08. Not many horses do that in Hong Kong.

“He’s still narrow – he reminds me a lot of All Thrills Too, who won the [2002 Hong Kong Sprint] – and he will just keep getting better and getting stronger.

“He sent me a bit of a message tonight. He was a bit more up on his toes and he’s probably just had enough now. It’s a good time to stop him and bring him back for, maybe, the [Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m) in September].

“We’ll probably go to the international races on his third or fourth race. He’s really something to get out of bed and look forward to training next year.”

After finishing second in the Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) and Hong Kong Derby (2,000m), Galaxy Patch would not be denied his feature breakthrough in the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m).

After travelling closer to the speed than usual in a moderately run seven-horse contest, Galaxy Patch unleashed a final 400m of 21.85 seconds to dive up the rail and pip long-time leader Chancheng Glory in the final stride.

“A special horse does that – he brings the rider – and of course Vincent [Ho Chak-yiu] has got enough experience to do that as well,” trainer Pierre Ng Pang-chi said of Galaxy Patch’s willingness to drive through the gap between Chancheng Glory and the rail.

“I’ve just never known how good he’ll be but definitely top [level]. He might have a go at the [Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m) on June 23].”

Galaxy Patch’s win completed a double for Ng after the earlier success of Super Bonus, with the brace enough to see him edge clear one win clear of Francis Lui Kin-wai at the top of the trainers’ premiership.

Teetan took the riding honours with a treble, also saluting aboard Keefy and Lucy In The Sky to move to 76 victories for the campaign, while Ho enjoyed a double after his earlier success aboard Lui’s King Miles and Andrea Atzeni (Super Bonus and Handsome Bomb) also landed a brace.