O’Neill’s huge Tentyris v Ka Ying Rising call

By SENTrack

Prominent owner John O’Neill has made a massive call regarding racing’s new kid on the block in Tentyris.

After blowing his rivals away in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington last Saturday, the three-year-old colt has been described by some as a “generational” talent.

O’Neill reckons the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained son of Street Boss is a freak and will go on to beat the world’s best sprinter and Everest vanquisher Ka Ying Rising if they ever meet.

“Tentyris is an absolute freak. I don’t care what weight they give him in the Newmarket…,” O’Neill said on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.

“Three-year-olds in that race (the Lightning) don’t have a wonderful record over a long period of time. He absolutely smashed them!

“I’ve never seen a horse let go like that. Wherever he goes they won’t beat him.

“And let me tell you, he will beat Ka Ying Rising too. It’s a freak that horse!

“If he stays sound and the Freedys look after that horse - which Sam and Anthony will - good luck beating it.”

Trainer Wayne Hawkes did not necessarily agree with that assessment and wants to see Tentyris do it again before rating him so highly.

“1000m weight-for-age Group 1 up the straight, I just want to see him do it again,” said Hawkes.

“I’m not saying he couldn’t win a TJ (Smith), but I wouldn’t put him in Ka Ying Rising’s class just yet.”

Tentyris will likely race in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 7.