The Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising will be at it again on Easter Monday where he will strive to extend his record unbeaten run in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup over 1200m at Sha Tin, where a win would see him put nineteen consecutive race wins behind his name.
The David Hayes trained son of Shamexpress has enjoyed a perfect record since he last tasted defeat on January 21, 2024.
He was beaten that day by the John Size trained Wunderbar, ridden by James McDonald, so Wunderbar will forever have that claim to fame of having a win over Ka Ying Rising to his credit … and Wunderbar did win again in his next two starts … but, by then Ka Ying Rising was off on a totally new trajectory, carrying all before him.
He was four from four in the last four starts of the 2023/24 season … unbeaten in all eight starts in the 2024/25 season … and current a winner of all six starts this season, including The Everest at Randwick.
On Monday six ‘hopefuls’ will try to do what no horse has been able to do for the past two years … that is, to bring Ka Ying Rising undone.
Their chances would appear to be slim.
Helios Express, who appears to be the best of the challengers, was beaten by 3.50 lengths by Ka Ying Rising in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup when they last clashed. Raging Blizard was even further back than that.
Tomodachi Kokoroe, a stable companion of Ka Ying Rising, Beauty Waves and Stellar Express were all soundly beaten in their last start clash in a Class I Handicap over 1200m, while the remaining runner, Lucky With You, has finished unplaced in his last nine starts.
So, clearly Monday’s race can hold no fears for Ka Ying Rising.
It is never wise in racing to call any horse a certainty but, even allowing for the weight turnover which, in theory, gives Ka Ying Rising more to do, let’s just say the expectation is for another Ka Ying Rising cake-walk … another untroubled Ka Ying Rising victory parade … and another Ka Ying Rising record breaking result.
