Ka Ying Rising Targets Record-Extending 19th Consecutive Win in Sprint Cup

Ka Ying Rising cruised through the eight-runner first heat down Sha Tin's turf straight on Tuesday morning, clocking a trial-best 57.62 seconds over 1000 metres and finishing a neck in front of Beauty Waves under championship-leading jockey Zac Purton. The eight-time Group 1 winner is now firmly set for April 6's HK$5.35 million Group 2 Sprint Cup, where trainer David Hayes will attempt to extend the New Zealand-bred gelding's record winning streak to 19 consecutive victories.

Hayes was deliberate in both the distance and the surface chosen for the workout. "I wanted to trial him down the straight because you never know; he might go down the straight somewhere," he said. "It's a good experience for him, and he's going back from 1400 to 1200 metres, so he didn't need a hard trial, hence why I put him over 1000." The manner impressed more than the margin. "He was nice and relaxed. There were a couple of horses who put a bit of pressure on, but he stretched and got to them very easily – he won as you'd expect."

Purton, who confirmed the sprinter's wellbeing after the trial, last partnered Ka Ying Rising over 1000 metres on Sha Tin turf back in August. The pairing has been central to one of Hong Kong racing's most dominant runs in recent memory. Ka Ying Rising's 18 successive wins already stand as a record for a Hong Kong-trained horse, surpassing the previous mark of 17 set by the legendary Silent Witness. The Sprint Cup represents an opportunity to push that benchmark further into uncharted territory.

Beauty Waves, who chased Ka Ying Rising home in Tuesday's trial, is also entered for Easter Monday's Sprint Cup. The same fixture hosts the HK$5.35 million Group 2 Chairman's Trophy over 1600 metres, which is the target for Lucky Sweynesse, who trialled over that distance on turf under Derek Leung in 1 minute 36.81 seconds.

Should Ka Ying Rising win the Sprint Cup, Hayes has confirmed the horse will then target a second HK$24 million Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize over 1200 metres on FWD Champions Day, April 26. That race serves as the final leg of the HK$5 million Hong Kong Speed Series, a competition comprising the HK$13 million Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup and the HK$13 million Group 1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup. Ka Ying Rising earned the Speed Series bonus last season, joining an exclusive list that includes Silent Witness (2003/04 and 2004/05), Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23), Grand Delight (2002/03), and Mr Vitality (1995/96).

The five-year-old arrives at the Sprint Cup carrying the titles of Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Hong Kong Champion Sprinter, and Hong Kong Champion Four-Year-Old, all for the 2024/25 season. Beyond Champions Day, Hayes has also outlined plans to enter Ka Ying Rising into quarantine after his run in the HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup before flying to Sydney for a shot at the AU$20 million Group 1 The Everest at Royal Randwick. Hayes noted a target travelling weight of approximately 1,150 pounds, around 15 pounds heavier than the horse carried to that race last year. If the Sprint Cup goes to plan, that journey to Randwick will arrive with a streak no Hong Kong sprinter has ever reached.