Who Is Ka Ying Rising? The World's Top Sprinter After His Trial Loss

Who is Ka Ying Rising?

Ka Ying Rising is a Hong Kong-trained sprinter, bred in New Zealand, and he's currently the world's highest-rated racehorse. He has won 21 races in a row, a Hong Kong record, and on Tuesday, Oct 6, 2026 (Sydney time) he did something he rarely does: he got beaten.

It was only a barrier trial, a practice race with no betting and no prize money. Over 1000m at Randwick on soft ground, the Missile Stakes winner Ninja (Tommy Berry) caught him late and won by a neck in 59.46 seconds.

The timing is what made it news. Eleven days later, on Saturday, Oct 17, Ka Ying Rising defends his title in The Everest, the A$20 million, 1200m sprint at Randwick. For the race itself, the field and the slot system, see our Everest 2026 guide.

What happened in the Ka Ying Rising barrier trial

Under his regular jockey Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising was edged out late by Ninja. Hayes noted the horse didn't change leads, a sign he wasn't fully extended, and Purton said he "certainly needed the hit-out."

Trainer David Hayes was measured. He called it "a pass mark today – but not exciting" and said it was "better than last year," while adding that he'd seen the horse trial better.

Hayes also pointed out a few things worth knowing:

• Pace: the trial was run roughly four seconds slower than race tempo.
• Ground: the soft track and longer grass weren't ideal; Purton has said the horse prefers firm ground.
• Size: Hayes said the gelding is about 30 pounds bigger than he was at this time last year.

This has happened before

In October 2025, Ka Ying Rising also lost his last Randwick trial before The Everest. He finished third behind Linebacker and Overpass over 1000m on a track rated in the good range, though Purton said it felt softer than he was used to in Hong Kong. Purton called it a pass mark that needed improving.

Less than two weeks later he won The Everest by a length and a quarter, becoming the first horse trained outside Australia to win it.

Profile: breeding, owners, trainer and jockey

Here's the quick reference card.

Where he came from

He was bred by Grandmoral Lodge Racing in Marton, in New Zealand's Rangitikei district. Like many Hong Kong stars, he was imported to race there, because Hong Kong has almost no breeding industry of its own.

His sire, Shamexpress, was a sprinter himself. That fits: Ka Ying Rising has built his career at 1000m to 1400m.

The people around him

David Hayes is a Hall of Fame Australian trainer who now trains at Sha Tin in Hong Kong. Zac Purton is a nine-time Hong Kong champion jockey and his regular rider. He has ridden most of the streak, but Karis Teetan won on him twice during it: the Sha Tin Vase in June 2024 and the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup in February 2025.

The streak and the records

The winning run started in February 2024. Along the way he has collected these Group 1 wins:

• Hong Kong Sprint (2024, 2025)
• Centenary Sprint Cup (2025, 2026)
• Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (2025, 2026)
• Chairman's Sprint Prize (2025, 2026)
• The Everest (2025)

That's nine Group 1 titles. New to the term? Our explainer on what a Grade 1 or Group 1 race is covers it.

Records already broken

• In February 2026, his 18th straight win broke the Hong Kong record of 17 set by Silent Witness between 2002 and 2005.
• That same day, in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, he set a Sha Tin 1400m course record of 1:19.36.
• He is now on 21 straight wins, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The record still in play

The Hong Kong Jockey Club notes that an Everest win would give him 22 in a row and a 10th Group 1. That would match Golden Sixty, the champion miler who holds Hong Kong's record of 10 Group 1 wins.

Why he's rated the world's best racehorse

The LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings put every top horse on one scale, measured in pounds. The number reflects how good a horse's best performances were, based on who he beat and by how much.

Ka Ying Rising currently leads that list on 135. That's unusual for a sprinter, since the rankings often favor top middle-distance horses like Japan's Forever Young.

What drives the rating:

• Margins: he often wins clear of other Group 1 sprinters, not by a head.
• Consistency: 21 straight wins means no off days for more than two years.
• Travel: his Everest win proved he could beat Australia's best on their home track.

What is a barrier trial, and why results mislead

A barrier trial is a practice race run from the starting gates. It's common in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, where trials are official, filmed and published, but there's no betting and no prize money.

Trainers use trials to:

1. Bring a horse to fitness after a break.
2. Check that the horse loads and jumps cleanly from the gates.
3. Get a feel for the track before a big race.
4. Give a young or new horse race experience without pressure.

Why the winner of a trial isn't always the best horse

• Jockeys don't ride flat out. Most riders are told to keep something in reserve, so a horse saving energy can lose.
• Different goals. One trainer may want a hard hit-out while another wants a gentle one.
• Pace is slower. As Hayes noted, this trial was about four seconds off race tempo.
• Ground matters. Soft tracks can blunt horses that prefer firm going.

That's why experienced racing people watch how a horse trials, not just where he finishes. More racing terms are in our glossary.

What to watch next

The Everest is not a prediction game here; these are just the dates and questions that matter.

• Barrier draw: the gates are drawn in the week before the race. Where he starts can shape how the race unfolds.
• Track rating on Oct 17: his camp has said he prefers firm ground, so watch the Randwick rating on race day.
• Any change in plans: connections will update his status after the trial. Official news comes from the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
• Race day: The Everest is run at Royal Randwick on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 (Sydney time). In the Americas that's late Friday night or early Saturday morning, depending on your time zone.

If he wins, he'd extend his Hong Kong record streak to 22 and tie Golden Sixty's Group 1 record. If he loses, the streak ends, but his place among the great sprinters is already secure. Keep up with the rest of the racing season on our trends page.