Ka Ying Rising showcased his class once again at Sha Tin on Thursday morning, delivering a commanding trial performance that reaffirmed his status as one of Hong Kong’s premier sprinters. The six-time Group 1 winner looked every bit the horse to watch as he sharpened up ahead of a major feature race later this month.
Ridden quietly by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising swept through a 1200-metre dirt trial with authority, stopping the clock at 1m 10.36s and stretching clear late to defeat Romantic Son by three and three-quarter lengths. Galax Patch followed in third, while Helios Express was allowed to coast home further back, the exercise serving its purpose rather than testing limits.
For trainer David Hayes, the Ka Ying Rising barrier trial was less about spectacle and more about reassurance. The horse is preparing to chase a 17th consecutive victory when he lines up in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin on 25 January, a feat that would draw him level with the legendary Silent Witness.
“He jumped extremely well,” Hayes observed afterwards. “That was probably the quickest I’ve seen him away from the gates. From there he relaxed, travelled comfortably and finished off exactly as you would hope at this stage.”
Hayes added that the trial served as a vital conditioning step rather than a searching workout. A light programme of striding work is planned before a final piece of exercise next week, with everything geared toward peaking on race day.
From promising beginnings to elite dominance, Ka Ying Rising’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. After narrow defeats early in his three-year-old season, he has strung together 16 straight wins since February 2024, capturing six Group 1 races, twice lowering the Sha Tin 1200-metre record, and climbing to a rating of 138 as Hong Kong’s highest-rated horse. His unbeaten eight-win 2024/25 campaign earned him Horse of the Year honours, and he returns to action for the first time since his emphatic victory in the Hong Kong Sprint in December.
Success in the Centenary Sprint Cup would also open the door to outright ownership of the record for most consecutive wins by a Hong Kong, China-trained horse, with the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup next on the horizon.
Elsewhere at Sha Tin, Red Lion continued his preparations for the Stewards’ Cup with a solid second-place finish behind Greater Bae in a separate dirt trial. Ridden by Hugh Bowman, Red Lion finished three-quarters of a length adrift as Greater Bae posted 1m 10.81s. The Stewards’ Cup, the opening leg of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown, promises a compelling contest with several leading milers set to converge.
Racing at Sha Tin continues on Sunday, 18 January, with the staging of the 15th National Games Hong Kong Medalists Raceday.
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