Ka Ying Rising makes it sweet 16 in a row in Hong Kong Sprint

Reiterating his status as the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising extended his winning streak to 16 with a smooth title defense in Sunday’s $3.6 million Hong Kong Sprint (G1) at Sha Tin.

The overwhelming odds-on favorite was more authoritative than he was last December, as physical maturity and experience have combined to perfect him as a racing machine. The only theoretical obstacle might have been his rail draw, but once Ka Ying Rising broke like a shot and put himself in front, the rest was a formality.

Confidently handled by regular rider Zac Purton, who immediately angled a few paths off the inside, the David Hayes trainee imposed his authority at every stage. Japanese speedball Win Carnelian tried to press, but the tempo was too fast even for him.

Ka Ying Rising sauntered home by 3 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:07.70 for about six furlongs. 

“He was just superb today,” Hayes said. “The messages he was sending the week of the race suggested he’d do something like that. We are not running fast times today (on the undercard), but he did – a lot faster than the other races.

“He is a lot heavier and stronger now, so physically he is really improving, and it is showing on the track.

“The great thing about him is that he doesn’t have to lead. Today Zac wanted to take all of the risk out of it so he could get off the fence, and that is another string to his bow.”

Purton was never concerned about the post, knowing that Ka Ying Rising would work out an advantageous trip.

“He drew the right gate, and when the barrier came out, they said, ‘What do you think?’ And I said he would win by further.

“He is just in a league of his own now,” Purton added. “And not having to do that extra work into the first corner from a wide gate to try and get forward, probably helped him.” 

Longshot Raging Blizzard ran the race of his life to finish best of the rest, three-quarters of a length up on fast network. Next came Lucky Sweynesse, the 2023 champion; Helios Express; Tomodachi Kokoroe; Lucky With You; Wunderbar; Japanese shipper Satono Reve; Beauty Waves; Win Carnelian; British invader Khaadem, who had no chance when his stirrup leather broke right out of the gate; and the eased Divano.

Riders of the vanquished could only marvel at the force of nature that is Ka Ying Rising.

“The winner is exceptional – the best I’ve seen at that trip,” said none other than Ryan Moore, who was aboard the subpar Satono Reve.

“That winner was something else,” said James McDonald, from his view atop third-placer Fast Network.

Ka Ying Rising is now 17-for-19, two photo-finishes away from a perfect record. His current 16-race skein includes a sweep of Hong Kong’s Speed Series – the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1), and Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1) – and the world’s richest turf race, The Everest (G1), in his smash-and-grab raid on Australia’s Randwick.

Now bracketed with Golden Sixty’s 16-race streak, Ka Ying Rising will try to equal the Hong Kong record of 17 straight established by the legendary sprinter Silent Witness.

Hayes confirmed that he will follow the same Speed Series itinerary en route to another tilt at The Everest.

“Let’s just hope he is sound and well, and if he is in the form he was today, we’d love to take those Aussies on again,” said Hayes, an Australian himself.

Hayes hailed Ka Ying Rising as the best horse he has trained, a grand compliment coming from one of the world’s most successful horsemen.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO, was eloquent in his praise:

“I call it poetry in motion. I call it the best horse I have ever seen at least in the sprinting distances. 

“He’s not from this planet – the way he dominated from the gate and left other world-class horses trailing in his shadow was simply extraordinary.”