Ka Ying Rising - TOP Sprinter in the World

Ka Ying Rising is a highly accomplished 5-year-old bay Thoroughbred gelding from New Zealand, widely regarded as one of the top sprinters in the world. Foaled on September 3, 2020, he was bred by Fraser Auret at Grandmoral Lodge Racing in the Manawatū-Whanganui region.

Originally named Mr Express, he was initially raced and owned by his breeders before being sold to the Hong Kong-based Ka Ying Syndicate. Exported to Australia in March 2023, he quickly transitioned to Hong Kong racing under trainer David A. Hayes, with champion jockey Zac Purton as his primary rider.

His explosive speed has made him a dominant force in short-distance races, particularly over 1,200 meters, where he has broken track records and strung together an impressive winning streak.

PEDIGREE

Chefs: DP = 1-2-1-0-0 (4) DI = 7.00   CD = 1.00 ANZ = 2.33 {DP = 9-5-14-2-0 (30)}

Mare Profile = 7-3-1-11-8   Speed = 10   Stamina = 19   Index = 0.64   Triads = 11-15-20

• Sire: Shamexpress (New Zealand), a Group 1-winning sprinter and successful sire known for producing sprinters.

• Dam: Missy Moo (New Zealand), by Per Incanto (USA).

• Owner: Ka Ying Syndicate.

• Trainer: David A. Hayes (Hong Kong).

BEAUTY and FORM

No words necessary, the following video says it all.

RACING CAREER & RECORD

Ka Ying Rising began his career in New Zealand as a juvenile before excelling in Australia and then dominating in Hong Kong.

As of September 2025, he has an outstanding record of 16 starts: 14 wins, 2 seconds, and no thirds, with career earnings exceeding HK$48.6 million (approximately US$6.25 million).

He is currently on a remarkable 13-race winning streak that began in late 2023. His signature performances include breaking Sacred Kingdom's longstanding Sha Tin 1,200-meter track record (about 6f) with a time of 1:07.43 during the Jockey Club Sprint (G2) in 2025.

Ka Ying Rising Best Racing Post Rating at 135.

Comparisons:

AG Bullet at 122.

Asfoora at 122.

Motorious at 123.

Believing at 119.

Bear River at 118.

American Affair at 119.

Straight No Chaser at 124.

Book'em Danno at 124.

Bentornato at 118.

Scotland at 117.

Key highlights from his career include:

Date	Venue/Course	Race Name	Distance	Position	Notes
Sep 7, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup (G1)	1,200m	1st	Magnificent return from long break; confirmed his status as Top Sprinter.
Apr 27, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1)	1,200m	1st	Group 1 win; part of unbeaten Hong Kong campaign.
Mar 30, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Centenary Sprint Cup (G1)	1,200m	1st	Broke the Track Record; Major International sprint victory.
Feb 23, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (G1)	1,400m	1st	Stretched out successfully to 1,400m.
Jan 19, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Hong Kong Sprint (G1)	1,200m	1st	Tenth career win; propelled him to #2 in world rankings at the time.
Dec 8, 2024	Sha Tin (HK)	Jockey Club Sprint (G2)	1,200m	1st	Another Track record set.
Nov 17, 2024	Sha Tin (HK)	Sha Tin Vase (G3)	1,200m	1st	Earlier Group win in Hong Kong tenure.
Earlier starts (2023–2024)	Various (NZ/AUS/HK)	Multiple handicap and listed races	1,000–1,200m	13 total wins, 2 seconds	Includes debut wins in New Zealand and Australian victories before Hong Kong dominance.

His 2024/25 Hong Kong season was flawless, with eight straight wins across elite sprint events, culminating in him being crowned Hong Kong Horse of the Year in July 2025.

RANKINGS

Ka Ying Rising is currently the world's highest-rated sprinter according to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, a position he has held since early 2025 following a series of dominant performances.

In the January 2025 rankings, he climbed to #2 overall (from #5 from the prior period, gaining 118 rating points after the Hong Kong Sprint). By mid-2025, he shared the top sprinter honors and ranked inside the global top 10 overall, though specific overall placement has varied with the sprint category emphasizing his supremacy.

NEXT RACE

Ka Ying Rising's next race is the Group 1 The Everest, a 1200m sprint, scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. He is set to have a barrier trial at Randwick on October 7 ahead of the main event, but that is not an official race.

WORKOUTS

Ka Ying Rising has been actively preparing for The Everest with a series of gallops and barrier trials, many of which have been shared via videos and reports on X (formerly Twitter) and racing news sites.

Below is a summary of the most recent posted workouts, focusing on those from September 2025 onward (as earlier ones like the August 30 Sha Tin barrier trial are slightly dated but included for completeness). Distances and times are noted where explicitly posted; many are visual gallops without precise metrics, but sectional times are available for the August trial.

Date	Location	Type/Distance	Time/Notes
Sep 25, 2025	Canterbury Park (Sydney, AUS)	Media gallop (distance unspecified)	Spotted galloping in front of media; described as smooth and impressive in a shared video. No sectional times posted.
Sep 21, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Final pre-travel workout (distance unspecified)	"Didn’t blow a candle out" on return; light and effortless, per trainer notes.
Sep 20, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Early morning gallop (distance unspecified)	3:43 AM session; "cruising through" with trainer approval before flight to Australia.
Sep 19, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Turf gallop (distance unspecified)	"All systems go"; business-like effort in multiple shared videos, including stretching post-gallop. Described as a "crucial" prep.
Sep 17, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Fast dirt gallop (distance unspecified)	Strong all-weather track work; video highlights explosive pace.
Sep 16, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Fast all-weather gallop (distance unspecified)	"Letting rip" in typical style.
Sep 7, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	Barrier trial (distance unspecified)	Dazzling return performance; video captures effortless stride under jockey Zac Purton.
Aug 30, 2025	Sha Tin (HK)	1,000m barrier trial	Described as "eye-catching" and prevailing easily.

BREEDER'S CUP

As the world's top-rated horse at 135 (Timeform and Racing Post) and Hong Kong Horse of the Year, he's a dream player for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (5.5f), where the world would be just as excited as we were when Equinox crashed Meydan.

While David Hayes has emphasized meticulous prepping for the Australian raid, including a barrier trial on October 7, he has been very tight-lipped on what comes after the Everest race. He is prioritizing the $20 million turf sprint as the "historic bid" so we will have to wait and see if we have a serious player and an easy single for the Turf Sprint this year at Del Mar.