Ka Ying Rising surges into Hong Kong racing history with 18th straight win

2026-02-23 12:52 Last Updated At：12:52

David Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising’s extraordinary dominance can continue indefinitely after the world’s premier sprinter demolished quality opposition to post a Hong Kong record 18th successive victory in course record time in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 February).

Stretching his unbeaten sequence beyond Silent Witness’ longstanding mark of 17 wins, slotted between 2002 and 2005, Ka Ying Rising imperiously steamrolled his opposition in 1m 19.36s to smash the previous course record of 1m 19.92s, jointly held by Encouraging and Packing Hermod.

Jockey Zac Purton confirmed Hayes had told him pre-race “to break the track record” after he had ridden Ka Ying Rising hands-and-heels to the finish, three-and-half-lengths clear of Helios Express with Lucky Sweynesse one-and-a-quarter lengths further astern.

Improving his overall record to 19 wins from 21 starts – after two narrow seconds as a three-year-old – Ka Ying Rising jumped quickly from barrier three to sit second behind Copartner Prance and clocked 21.93s from the 1200m to the 800m before putting his rivals to the sword over the final 800m in a blistering 43.96s, with respective 200m splits of 11.26s, 11.07s, 10.52s and 11.11s to create history.

Unbeaten since February 2024, Ka Ying Rising’s unbeaten streak includes eight Group 1s – two LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint victories (2024 & 2025), two Centenary Sprint Cup titles (2025 & 2026), The Everest (2025), the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (2025) and now a pair of Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup trophies (2025 & 2026).

Silent Witness reigned from December 2002 to April 2005, snaring seven top-level features – the Hong Kong Sprint in 2003 & 2004, two Centenary Sprint Cups (2004 & 2005), two Chairman’s Sprint Prize triumphs (2004 & 2005) and the 2005 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup.

The stunning nature of Ka Ying Rising’s latest victory prompted Hayes to declare that the five-year-old could sustain his current level of excellence for the next 18 months, fitness permitting.

“If we can place him conservatively, we hope to have him for another couple of seasons, that’s really exciting,” Hayes said. “He loves a month between runs, so we’ll probably go for the (G2) Sprint Cup (1200m) next (on 6 April) and then we don’t have to train him too hard and babysit him into the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m on 26 April).

“Hopefully we can get another clean sweep of the season again with The Everest in the middle.

“He’s more composed than ever, he’s changing legs and you can’t ask for much more than he’s doing. He’s breaking track records and his last three runs, he’d have broken the track record if Zac had let him go.

“He jumped so well (today) and cruised through the bend beautifully – at the 300m, I could really enjoy it. I could tell he had the race in command. Zac went for him a bit more than he normally does and rode to instructions, which was good.

“I’ve trained a lot of horses that have gone 742 days without winning, so to continuously win for 742 days is mind-numbing. It’s two and a half years and the thing people don’t realise is that he was the (equal) youngest horse in the race today. They always think he’s the big boy bashing them up, but he’s actually the baby.

“It’s a huge relief. I didn’t think the team could have had him better for today and I was confident that if the track was riding fast, he could break the (track) record. I didn’t want Zac sitting up in the last 100m, I said to him ‘let him run through the post and we’ll see how strong he is at 1400m’. He’s just a star.

“I just thought for his worldwide ratings, I wanted Zac to let him go today and hopefully he can keep climbing up that incredible ladder that he’s going up. When you’ve got a horse as good as him, he’s the one everyone will be comparing the next big horse too.”

Purton notched his fifth victory in the race following wins on Ambitious Dragon (2013) and Beauty Generation (2018, 2019 & 2020) and believes Ka Ying Rising has reached his peak.

“I think he’s reached his level and it’s just a matter of managing him now and try to preserve that for as long as we can,” Purton said. “He’s the horse of a lifetime. I just shake my head every time with the performances he puts up and the ease with which he does.

“I’ve just got to pinch myself, I’m so lucky. He’s just different – he’s in a league of his own. They’re very good horses that he’s racing against, and he just does it like he’s having a barrier trial and let’s hope he can stay in this form for another 12 or 18 months.

“It was pretty straightforward. He jumped well, he was in a lovely rhythm behind Copartner Prance. Patch Of Theta went to move around me about the 1200m and I just made sure I was going to give my horse plenty of room. And then he just did his job – he did what he does.

“To be etched in history now forever is part of my legacy, part of David’s and a part of Ka Ying Rising and hopefully he can continue on doing what he’s doing. We’re all enjoying being associated with him and I think everyone is enjoying watching him being successful as well.

“The horse deserves all the credit. He’s the one with the ability and he continues to step out, race after race, and blow good quality horses away and it’s very unique to see that.”

Currently the second-highest rated horse in the world, Ka Ying Rising also holds the 1200m turf course record (1m 07.20s).

Purton also triumphed aboard Manfred Man-trained debutant Almighty Lightning (128lb) in the Class 4 Daffodil Handicap (1000m), Cool Blue (122lb) for Chris So in the Class 5 Jasmine Handicap (1800m), Pierre Ng’s Aerovolanic (131lb) in the Class 4 Peach Blossom Handicap (1400m) and Cool Boy in the Class 3 Peony Handicap (1200m) for Jamie Richards.

Stellar Express (134lb) slotted his fifth course and distance success in the Class 2 Orchid Handicap (1000m), clocking 55.36s for John Size and Andrea Atzeni. Formerly known as Dariym, the Zoustar gelding won three races in France when trained by Francis-Henri Graffard.

Frankie Lor notched a treble, prevailing with the talented Smart Golf in the Class 4 Heung Yee Kuk Centenary Cup Handicap (1200m) under Harry Bentley, Embrace Aberdeen (135lb) in the Class 4 Gladiolus Handicap (1200m) under Matthew Poon before the impressive Salon S clinched the Class 3 Rose Handicap (1400m) to give Poon a treble.

Poon also triumphed on David Hall’s Power Of Vitam landed the Class 3 Primula Handicap (1600m) and earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million after All’s Well bolted in with the Class 4 Peach Blossom Handicap (1400m) under Dylan Browne McMonagle for Dennis Yip.

Hong Kong racing continues on Wednesday night (25 February) at Happy Valley.

On the Year of the Horse Raceday, over 98,000 people gathered at Sha Tin Racecourse to Celebrate the New Year

The Year of the Horse Raceday held at Sha Tin Racecourse attracted over 98,000 people to celebrate the Chinese New Year, with Mainland and overseas visitors breaking previous records with over 20,000 attendees.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club stated that with the record-breaking attendance on the third day of the Chinese New Year, though the 2025/26 racing season was only halfway through, the cumulative attendance has already reached nearly 210,000 people, surpassing the total of 195,000 people for the entire previous season, reflecting the immense appeal of horse racing tourism. In terms of betting amount, the 11 races recorded over HKD $1.84 billion.

Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, was very satisfied with the successful start to the Year of the Horse Raceday. He said, "It's a perfect start, and we will continue our strong momentum in the new year. You will see more innovations and exciting facilities coming soon."

At the beginning of the Year of the Horse, Sha Tin Racecourse was filled with a strong festive atmosphere, featuring special photo spots such as windmills and peach blossom, symbolizing success and prosperity.

Another highlight on the site was the unveiling of "Harmonious Horses" sculptures, each over three meters tall, created by the local renowned artist Mr. Simon Ma. The unveiling ceremony was officiated by Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr. Aaron Kwok, the local well-known singer and HKJC's Year of the Horse Ambassador, as well as Mr. Simon Ma.

Mr. Simon Ma stated that sculptures symbolized the integration of Hong Kong and the Mainland. The two horses appear to be running from afar, with their heads slightly raised, signifying high spirits and inspiring energy to move forward.

Mr. Aaron Kwok wished the residents good health, good fortune, and prosperity in the Year of the Horse. He even hummed a few lines from the HKJC's Year of the Horse theme song, stating that the line "Passionate but not easy, willing to keep going" was very important. Mr. Kwok stated that he hoped residents could participate in the various charity events and community activities organized by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "We hope the spirit of dedication can be passed on to the next generation so they can continue to carry forward this ideal. I think such an aim can be realized via concerted efforts of both parents and children." Mr. Kwok said.

In Chinese culture, the horse represents perseverance, speed, and vitality, deeply resonating with Hong Kong's spirit, "I can do it". The Year of the Horse holds special significance for both Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Large numbers of residents and tourists visited the racecourse to experience the exhilarating energy and share in the auspicious New Year spirit.

Tora Northman, a Swedish tourist, is on a month-long Asian tour and has specifically stayed in Hong Kong for two weeks to experience the Chinese New Year atmosphere. After attending the New Year Parade on February 17 and the fireworks display on February 18, she attended the Year of the Horse Raceday at Sha Tin Racecourse on February 19. Tora said, "It's a unique and wonderful experience. Sweden doesn't have horse racing, so it's wonderful for me to personally visit the massive Sha Tin Racecourse and experience the passion of both the races and horse racing fans. As a tourist, it's truly unforgettable to celebrate the Chinese New Year together with the people of Hong Kong."

A German couple, Andreas Brautlacht and Regina Brautlacht, a businessman and a university professor respectively, arrived in Hong Kong on February 16 for a six-day trip. Having visited Hong Kong four times before, they first attended the horse racing events this year. They praised Sha Tin Racecourse's scale, saying it far surpasses that of racecourses in Germany. They said, "Sha Tin Racecourse has advanced digital horse racing facilities, such as the virtual riding experience equipment, which is very innovative. Our visit to the Racecourse would definitely be a great start to the Year of the Horse."

Mr. Wu, a tourist from Henan Province, visited Hong Kong for the first time with his family, especially aiming to experience the fireworks display on the second day of the Chinese New Year and the Raceday on the third day. During their four-day trip, besides watching fireworks and horse racing, they also shopped in Mong Kok and took a ride on the Star Ferry, spending over HKD $20,000. Mr. Wu praised the vibrant atmosphere at the Racecourse: "Watching the races live was incredibly exciting; the atmosphere was fantastic. Next time, when I'm in Hong Kong, I'll definitely revisit the Racecourse."

Mr. Chow, a first-time visitor to the Racecourse, said that Sha Tin Racecourse should be a place with good fortune, and he hoped to change his luck for the Year of the Horse in this wonderful place.

Mr. Tse, whose father was a former Jockey Club jockey, has had a deep connection with horses since childhood. He specifically visited the Racecourse on the third day of the Chinese New Year to achieve good luck. He also mentioned that he had watched the fireworks display sponsored by the Jockey Club on the night of the second day of the Chinese New Year, saying, "The Jockey Club spent over HKD $19 million to achieve a successful result! The fireworks were very beautiful."

Ka Ying Rising surges into Hong Kong racing history with 18th straight win

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Ka Ying Rising surges into Hong Kong racing history with 18th straight win

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