Hong Kong Closed a Record-Breaking Season Under the Reign of Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior

The two local superstars dominated the international scene, shared Horse of the Year honors, and spearheaded a 2025/26 campaign defined by historic figures in purses, wagering, and tourism. Ka Ying Rising finished undefeated and reached 20 consecutive victories, while Romantic Warrior completed the Triple Crown and elevated his total earnings to over HK$ 288 million

HAPPY VALLEY, Hong Kong (Special for Turf Diario).- Packed with athletic, financial, and attendance records, and anchored by two extraordinary icons, the 2025/26 Hong Kong horse racing season came to a close this Wednesday at Happy Valley, bringing an end to one of the most brilliant chapters in local racing history.

Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) and Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) stood as the undisputed stars of a campaign defined by the Year of the Horse. Together, they secured 10 G1 victories, spent the majority of the season holding down top positions in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, and propelled Hong Kong's prestige to unprecedented heights.

Ka Ying Rising, rated at 131 points, currently shares the overall world leadership, while Romantic Warrior, rated at 126, sits tied for third place globally. The dominance of both champions was so absolute that, for the first time ever, they ended up sharing Hong Kong Horse of the Year honors.

"It was an extraordinary season, and we could not have asked for more in terms of equine excellence, especially during the Year of the Horse," highlighted Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The executive described Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior as true titans, capable of elevating Hong Kong racing to heights never previously attained.

Ka Ying Rising turned his campaign into a series of monumental milestones. He became the first horse trained outside of Australia to capture The Everest (G1), the richest turf race in the world, while extending his undefeated streak to 20 consecutive wins.

Along that path, he shattered the previous local record of 17 straight victories set nearly 21 years ago by the legendary Silent Witness (El Moxie). He also set a new track record for 1400 meters at Sha Tin and twice lowered his own course record over 1200 meters.

Meanwhile, the standout Romantic Warrior reaffirmed his status as an exceptional middle-distance specialist. He captured the Hong Kong Cup (G1) for an unprecedented fourth straight time, added a fourth victory in the QEII Cup (G1), and became just the third horse in local racing history to sweep the Triple Crown.

In a single campaign, the champion swept the Stewards' Cup (G1), the Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1), and the Champions & Chater Cup (G1), a sequence that pushed his record career earnings past HK$ 288,000,000.

Yet local dominance stretched far beyond its two leading stars. Spearheaded as well by Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) and My Wish (Flying Artie), Hong Kong-trained horses captured 12 major G1 events worldwide throughout the season.

Furthermore, 11 of the 12 local G1 contests earned inclusion among the Top 100 Group 1 Races in the world by Longines, while 10 Hong Kong-based runners earned international ratings of 115 points or higher.

This feat takes on even greater significance considering the territory maintains roughly 1,300 horses in training—less than one percent of the global Thoroughbred population.

That superiority was equally evident across the two premier international fixtures on the calendar: the Hong Kong International Races and Champions Day. Facing 29 visiting contenders from four foreign jurisdictions, local runners claimed victory in six of the seven G1 events.

Joining the established stars were rising talents such as Invincible Ibis (Hellbent), winner of the BMW Hong Kong Derby, Little Paradise (Toronado), Stormy Grove (Toronado), and sprinter Hot Delight (Too Darn Hot).

On the professional front, Caspar Fownes claimed his fifth training title, while Zac Purton was crowned champion jockey for the ninth time, finishing with 143 wins.

The Australian rider also reached a personal milestone by becoming the first jockey ever to attain 2,000 career victories in Hong Kong. Jerry Chau, meanwhile, received the Tony Cruz Award as the top local home-grown rider.

The 2026 season generated record figures off the track as well. The Hong Kong Jockey Club distributed a record HK$ 1.78 billion in total prize money and incentive bonuses, reflecting an aggressive strategy to encourage ownership and the importation of high-quality bloodstock.

Since the introduction of the expanded incentive scheme, 150 Class 3 horses earned bonuses totaling HK$ 225 million. The growth of multi-owner syndicates also found direct expression at the elite level: Ka Ying Rising, Voyage Bubble, and Invincible Ibis are all syndicate-owned.

Wagering turnover reached HK$ 143.31 billion, representing a 3.2 percent increase compared to the previous campaign. Combined overseas commingled betting on Hong Kong racing hit a record HK$ 34.4 billion, reflecting an 8.3 percent rise.

Simulcast racing also posted solid gains. Over the course of the calendar, 492 international races were offered, with corresponding turnover surging 23.5 percent to HK$ 16.2 billion.

The World Pool expanded its global reach from 296 to 397 races, continuing to cement its place as a cornerstone of the Jockey Club's international strategy.

Equine tourism proved to be another major driver. Sha Tin and Happy Valley welcomed 401,259 mainland Chinese and international visitors—more than double the figure for the 2024/25 season and four times the amount recorded two years ago.

Five racing days exceeded 10,000 tourists, while the Chinese New Year meeting set an all-time record with 20,395 visitors.

"Horse racing has evolved into a primary engine for sports tourism and a crucial pillar supporting Hong Kong's broader tourism development," stated Engelbrecht-Bresges.

The immediate horizon brings a host of new developments. The 2026/27 campaign will introduce a revamped bonus structure for the Premier Series alongside purse increases for the Hong Kong Classic Mile (G1), Hong Kong Classic Cup (G1), and the Hong Kong Derby, which will offer HK$ 28 million for its historic 150th running.

In addition, the Chief Executive's Cup will be upgraded to G3 status with purse money increased to HK$ 4.2 million.

However, the signature expansion will come by way of Conghua. The state-of-the-art training center located in Guangzhou will officially integrate into the racing framework, joining Sha Tin and Happy Valley under the "Two Cities, Three Racecourses" model.

Conghua will host its inaugural fixture on October 31, 2026—operated on a non-wagering basis—marking the historic launch of regular speed racing on Mainland China under Hong Kong's established sporting, operational, and integrity standards.

With Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior crowned as co-champions, track records broken, and historical figures reached across nearly every key performance index, Hong Kong concluded a season for the record books. It proved to be the Year of the Horse in every sense, delivering a resounding demonstration of its place at the pinnacle of the international racing scene.