Ka Ying Rising cemented his place in racing history with a flawless campaign in the 2024/25 season, claiming the prestigious Horse of the Year title at the Hong Kong Champion Awards presentation held on Friday night. His undefeated streak and record-breaking speed earned him top honours, including Champion Sprinter and Champion Four-Year-Old, showcasing the extraordinary rise of a horse that began last season as Champion Griffin and now stands atop the global sprinting stage.
The standout gelding, trained by David Hayes and owned by the Ka Ying Syndicate, dazzled with victories in the HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint and the HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize. His eight wins from eight starts this season extended his unbeaten streak to 12 races, a feat achieved by only a select few in Hong Kong racing history. In sweeping the Hong Kong Speed Series and collecting the accompanying HK$5 million bonus, Ka Ying Rising joined elite company with names like Silent Witness and Lucky Sweynesse.
He not only dominated the sprinting division but rewrote history with stunning times, including breaking Sacred Kingdom’s long-standing Sha Tin 1200m record twice. His final mark of 1:07.2 set in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup solidified his position as the world’s highest-rated sprinter with a global rating of 126, matching Romantic Warrior and trailing only a trio of international stars by one point.
While Ka Ying Rising grabbed the spotlight, Voyage Bubble also made his mark with a season for the ages. Under trainer Ricky Yiu, the Deep Field gelding pulled off the rare Triple Crown feat—claiming the G1 Stewards’ Cup, Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, and Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup in a single season. The last horse to accomplish that was River Verdon in 1994, making Voyage Bubble’s triumph historic. His five wins, including four at Group 1 level, earned him dual titles as Champion Miler and Champion Stayer, with performances that redefined dominance over the mile and staying distances.
Romantic Warrior, another household name, continued his reign as Champion Middle-Distance Horse for a fourth consecutive year. Trained by Danny Shum, he clocked a record-breaking 1:45.10 in the G1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai, securing his place as the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win Group 1 races in four different international jurisdictions. His achievements pushed career earnings to an astonishing HK$214.7 million, setting a new benchmark in global prize money.
Adding to the evening’s celebration was the emergence of My Wish, trained by Mark Newnham, as the Most Improved Horse. Beginning the season with a modest rating of 54, the Flying Artie gelding surged to 105, thanks to his consistent performances and a key win in the Hong Kong Classic Mile. He also placed second in both the Hong Kong Classic Cup and BMW Hong Kong Derby, highlighting his upward trajectory.
Veteran jockey Zac Purton continued to build on his legendary status, winning his eighth Champion Jockey title. He surpassed several long-standing records, including Douglas Whyte’s all-time wins, and reached major milestones across both Sha Tin and Happy Valley tracks. His consistent brilliance remains unmatched in the Hong Kong racing circuit.
The final awards of the season, including Most Popular Jockey, Most Popular Horse, and Champion Trainer, will be revealed after the season’s last fixtures at Sha Tin and Happy Valley. With a season packed with history-making performances, the 2024/25 Hong Kong racing calendar will be remembered as one of the most electrifying in recent times.
