Hong Kong sprint star Ka Ying Rising has been officially crowned the world’s best sprinter after being awarded a career-high rating of 128 in the 2025 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, making him the highest-rated Hong Kong-trained horse in the history of the rankings.
The David Hayes-trained gelding ranked joint-second overall on the global list, alongside Japanese pair Forever Young and Masquerade Ball, Britain’s Ombudsman, and American runner Sovereignty, trailing only France’s Calandagan (130) at the top.
The recognition caps an extraordinary 2025 for Ka Ying Rising, who went unbeaten throughout the calendar year, highlighted by victory in Australia’s AU$20 million G1 The Everest at Royal Randwick before defending his title in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin. Those performances formed part of five Group 1 wins during the rating period from January to December.
Partnered by champion jockey Zac Purton for all but one of his eight wins in 2025, the New Zealand-bred speedster earned a rating higher than modern Hong Kong greats Able Friend (127), Beauty Generation (127) and Golden Sixty (126).
The timing of the announcement adds further significance, with Ka Ying Rising set to line up this Sunday in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin, where he will attempt to equal the long-standing Hong Kong record of 17 consecutive victories, first achieved by Silent Witness in 2005.
Source URL : Ka Ying Rising Named world’s best sprinter as Hong Kong dominates global rankings | The Standard
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/hong-kong-racing/article/322161/
David Hayes is confident Ka Ying Rising remains in peak form as the world’s highest-rated sprinter chases history.
Unbeaten in 16 starts since 12 February, 2024, Ka Ying Rising will equal Silent Witness’ record for a Hong Kong-trained horse of 17 victories in a row if he eclipses six rivals in this weekend’s Group 1 double-header, which also features Romantic Warrior’s clash with Voyage Bubble in the HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m).
Acclaimed last week as Timeform Horse of the Year (2025) as well as being acknowledged this week as both the world’s premier sprinter and joint second-best horse in the 2025 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, Ka Ying Rising has won 17 of 19 starts, including six at Group 1 level.
Hayes is adamant Ka Ying Rising, who broke his own Sha Tin 1200m track record in the 2025 Centenary Sprint Cup with a winning time of 1m 07.20s, has not regressed since his devastating G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) triumph in December.
“Last start was probably his best win and he seems no worse and what’s so special about him is that he just keeps putting up consistent ratings that are exceptional. Everything tells me that he’s the same,” Hayes said.
“I would say (his form is) very similar. It’s hard to say better, isn’t it?”
A dual Hong Kong champion trainer, Hayes said he never expected to have a horse capable of threatening Silent Witness’ record, which has stood since 2005.
“I never thought that would happen but it’s looking very realistic and if trackwork and trials are any guide, he’s (Ka Ying Rising) held his form and it’s exciting for the weekend,” Hayes said.
Ka Ying Rising will jump from barrier four under Zac Purton, while Hayes will also be represented by Tomodachi Kokoroe (Harry Bentley) against Helios Express (Hugh Bowman), Fast Network (James McDonald), Raging Blizzard (Brenton Avdulla), Beauty Waves (Matthew Chadwick) and Lucky With You (Luke Ferraris).
“Tomodachi Kokoroe needs to improve. He was fantastic until he got up to the upper class and then when he got into the Group 1s, he struggled. But he’s healthy and well and I’m hoping he can run a place,” Hayes said.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR – STEWARDS’ CUP (G1)
Romantic Warrior worked smoothly through his final piece of serious trackwork on Tuesday morning (20 January) under the cover of darkness at Sha Tin in preparation for Sunday afternoon’s (25 January) HK$13 million G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m).
Gearing up for the Triple Crown’s first leg at Sha Tin, Romantic Warrior clocked an untested 1m 16.6s (27, 25.7, 23.9) under Hugh Bowman on the turf course alongside stablemate Romantic Thor, and it was much to the satisfaction of trainer Danny Shum.
“He’s good. He’s done his final gallop on the turf. Hugh Bowman rode him and he gave me a very positive report. He’s happy with him. Of course, Voyage Bubble is a very strong competitor over the mile, but Romantic Warrior will run well,” Shum said.
This weekend, Romantic Warrior returns to 1600m for the first time since winning the 2024 G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m). The Hong Kong International Sale graduate has raced over a mile three times in his career, winning the 2022 Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) before his second to Golden Sixty in the 2023 Stewards’ Cup.
Middle-distance supremo Romantic Warrior – racing’s highest-earner (HK$240.11 million) – is a 12-time winner over 2000m at Sha Tin, headlined by a record-setting four G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) successes in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
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