Hong Kong-trained horses dominate the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, which were released on Thursday, 12 March, occupying the top two spots.
Ka Ying Rising remains the world’s highest-rated horse in training with a rating of 128 in the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. Photo source: HKJC
David Hayes-trained Ka Ying Rising maintained his position as the top-rated horse in training with an international rating of 128, while Danny Shum’s Romantic Warrior was ranked second with a rating of 124.
Both horses are focused on domestic glory for the remainder of this season: Ka Ying Rising is aiming to retain his Hong Kong Speed Series honours with victory in April’s G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), while the world’s highest-earning horse Romantic Warrior is looking to complete the Triple Crown with a win in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on 24 May.
Romantic Warrior strengthened his global standing after claiming a record-extending 13th Group 1 success in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) on 1 March. Photo source: HKJC
Ka Ying Rising next races in Easter Monday’s (6 April) G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin when he goes for a 19th win in succession.
Hong Kong boasts four entries in the top 20 of the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. Manfred Man’s Lucky Sweynesse is ranked joint-11th with an international rating of 118, while John Size-trained Helios Express is joint-15th with a rating of 117.
Ka Ying Rising has created history in the wake of his record-breaking performance in the G3 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (6 September) by achieving the highest rating ever awarded to a sprinter and returning to outright number one in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (LWBRR).
Ka Ying Rising has created history by achieving the highest rating ever awarded to a sprinter and returning to outright number one in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
Unbeaten in his past 21 starts, Ka Ying Rising rose to a new career peak mark of 135 – four points clear of Ombudsman (131) – when the latest interim rankings were released on Thursday, 10 September.
Undefeated since February 2024, Ka Ying Rising received the four-point rise after scorching to his sixth course record at Sha Tin, and a fifth over the 1200m turf course, with a blistering 1m 06.11s for a seven-and-three-quarter-length victory.
The ratings panel’s decision to elevate Ka Ying Rising to 135 saw him surpass the previous highest mark achieved by a sprinter – Australian champion Black Caviar, who was assessed at 132 after winning the 2011 G1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in record time. Black Caviar retired unbeaten after 25 starts.
Ka Ying Rising has broke his record for the 6th time at Sha Tin on Sunday (6 September).
Trained by David Hayes and ridden by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising concluded 2025 rated 128 and, this year, elevated his mark to 130 in May, 131 in July and now 135.
Ka Ying Rising’s latest ranking is the joint-fourth highest mark ever given to a horse in the history of the LWBRR behind Frankel, who scored 136 and 140 in 2011 and 2012, Flightline (140) and Sea The Stars (136).
It puts him on the same mark as Baaeed, Harbinger and Japan’s highest-ever rated horse Equinox (135).
Nine-time Group 1 winner Ka Ying Rising, who travels to Sydney, Australia to defend his G1 The Everest (1200m) crown next month, conceded 20lb to his opposition last weekend as he dominated from the front under top weight (135lb).
David Hayes views Ka Ying Rising as a fabulous racehorse and expressed his excitement about Ka Ying Rising's acheivement.
The superstar sprinter first broke Sacred Kingdom’s 1200m Sha Tin record of 1m 07.50s – which stood for 17 years – after clocking 1m 07.43s in the 2024 G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m).
The Shamexpress six-year-old then bettered his own record to 1m 07.20s in the 2025 G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) before lowering it twice more – 1m 07.12s in the 2026 G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) before his 1m 07.10s in the 2026 G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), the previous best before last Sunday’s blitz.
His 1m 19.36s in the 2026 G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin is also a record.
Ombudsman, a four-time Group 1 winner, is second behind Ka Ying Rising in the latest LWBRR standings. Recently retired star three-year-old Bow Echo comes next on 127. Hong Kong’s 15-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior, French-trained four-year-old Daryz and last-start G1 International Stakes (2051m) hero Item both rate 126.
Ka Ying Rising has entered quarantine at Sha Tin and will travel to Sydney later this month for The Everest – the world’s richest turf race – at Royal Randwick on 17 October.
