Ka Ying Rising returned to the top of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings after producing a record-breaking performance at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, 6 September. The Hong Kong sprinter earned a career-high rating of 135 following a commanding seven-and-three-quarter-length victory in the G3 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap over 1,200 metres.
The latest interim rankings, released on Thursday, 10 September, placed Ka Ying Rising four points clear of Ombudsman, who remained on 131. The remarkable rise followed another exceptional display from the David Hayes-trained sprinter, who continued an unbeaten sequence that had stretched to 21 starts. Ka Ying Rising had remained undefeated since February 2024.
The latest performance also established a new benchmark for the highest rating ever achieved by a sprinter in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. Ka Ying Rising’s mark of 135 surpassed the previous record of 132 held by Australian champion Black Caviar, who received that rating after winning the 2011 G1 Newmarket Handicap over 1,200 metres in record time.
Ka Ying Rising Established a New Benchmark for Sprinters
Ridden by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising completed the 1,200-metre contest in 1 minute 06.11 seconds. The time represented his sixth course record at Sha Tin and his fifth record over the 1,200-metre turf course.
The latest mark also reflected the extraordinary progression of Ka Ying Rising during the 2026 season. He had ended 2025 with a rating of 128 before moving to 130 in May and 131 in July. His latest victory then lifted him four points higher to 135.
The rating placed Ka Ying Rising among an elite group of horses to have reached the highest levels in the history of the rankings. His mark of 135 stood alongside those achieved by Baaeed, Harbinger and Equinox, the latter being Japan’s highest-rated racehorse. Only Frankel, who reached 136 in 2011 and 140 in 2012, and Flightline, who also reached 140, had recorded higher ratings.
Ka Ying Rising’s latest performance was particularly notable because he carried 135 pounds and conceded 20 pounds to his rivals. Despite the weight difference, he controlled the race from the front and extended his advantage decisively in the closing stages.
A Remarkable Record at Sha Tin Racecourse
The latest record added another chapter to Ka Ying Rising’s remarkable history at Sha Tin Racecourse. Sacred Kingdom’s 1,200-metre course record of 1 minute 07.50 seconds had stood for 17 years before Ka Ying Rising began a remarkable sequence of improvements.
He lowered the record to 1 minute 07.43 seconds in the 2024 G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint. In 2025, he reduced it further to 1 minute 07.20 seconds in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup.
His progression continued in 2026. Ka Ying Rising recorded 1 minute 07.12 seconds in the G2 Sprint Cup before lowering the mark again to 1 minute 07.10 seconds in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize. His latest effort, at 1 minute 06.11 seconds, represented another significant improvement.
His ability over longer sprint distances had also been evident earlier in 2026, when he set the Sha Tin record for 1,400 metres in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup with a time of 1 minute 19.36 seconds.
Ka Ying Rising Set for The Everest Defence
Ka Ying Rising had already established himself as one of the leading sprinters in international racing, with nine Group 1 victories to his name. His latest achievement further strengthened his standing ahead of an important international assignment in Australia.
Following his latest Sha Tin victory, Ka Ying Rising entered quarantine before travelling to Sydney later in September. He was scheduled to defend his G1 The Everest crown over 1,200 metres at Royal Randwick on 17 October.
The latest rankings placed Ombudsman second on 131, while retired three-year-old Bow Echo held third place on 127. Romantic Warrior, Daryz and Item were next on 126.
For Ka Ying Rising, the rise to 135 represented more than a return to the summit. It marked a new chapter in the career of a sprinter who had repeatedly rewritten the record books at Sha Tin Racecourse and had now established the highest rating ever achieved by a sprinter in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
Ka Ying Rising reached a career-best rating of 135 after his record-breaking performance at Sha Tin Racecourse, moving four points clear of Ombudsman at the top of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. The unbeaten sprinter also surpassed Black Caviar’s previous record rating for a sprinter and prepared for his scheduled defence of The Everest in Sydney.
For more stories, results, and updates from the world of horse racing, stay tuned to RaceBuzz.