Ka Ying Rising goes for his eighteenth consecutive victory this Saturday at Sha Tin

The Asian speed star will run in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (G1), stepping up to 1400 meters on the turf

SHA TIN, Hong Kong (Special for Turf Diario).- History knocks on the door this Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse, and the one in charge of opening it could be a phenomenon named Ka Ying Rising. The pupil of David Hayes will attempt to achieve his 18th consecutive victory, a figure that would make him the Hong Kong-trained horse with the most consecutive wins, leaving behind the record shared with the legendary Silent Witness (El Moxie).

The stage will be the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1, 1400m), endowed with HK$13 million and scheduled as the eighth race of the meeting (16:35 hours). There will be 9 rivals trying to stop the march of a horse that seems to know no limits and who, since February 2024, does not know what it is to lose.

The streak of Ka Ying Rising is not just a number. It includes 7 G1 victories and a string of titles that consolidated him as Champion Griffin (2023/24), Champion Sprinter (2024/25), Champion 4-Year-Old (2024/25), and finally Horse of the Year (2024/25) in Hong Kong. In total, he has 18 wins in 20 starts, with only two defeats in his initial season.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to try and break Silent Witness's record,” confessed Hayes. “His work was good, the usual for Ka Ying Rising. He is in his routine and that suits him perfectly.”

With a 138 rating and earnings of HK$129.85 million, the son of Shamexpress will face the 1400 meters for the second time in his career. The only previous time was precisely this race last year, when he won by 1 1/2 lengths.

“I know he can run the distance and I know he is a better horse than a year ago,” assured his trainer. “If the pace is strong, he can go second or third; if it is slow, he will lead.”

The fact is significant: all competitors will carry 126 pounds. And Hayes summarized it bluntly: “If it were a handicap, Ka Ying Rising would give 20 pounds to some. He will be a short favorite… and probably with good reason.”

From gate three, with Zac Purton in the reins, the star will arrive after a meticulous preparation: works in 24.2s over the dirt track, a gallop in 28s after a trial where he clocked 1m8.3s for 1200 meters with fluid fractions. “He is bigger, stronger, and better than last year. My team did an incredible job,” Hayes maintained.

Among his recent victims is even the conquest of The Everest (G1) at Royal Randwick, the world's richest race on turf (AU$20 million), an objective he will again have in his sights later in 2026.

Helios Express (Toronado), Lucky Sweynesse (Sweynesse), and the rest of the field appear as respectable opposition, but the feeling is that history depends, above all, on Ka Ying Rising himself. Hayes knows it and does not hide the emotion: “It is a surreal feeling to saddle a horse that is a dollar favorite in a G1. It is not as easy as it seems.”

This Sunday, at Sha Tin, Asian turf may write a new golden chapter. And if logic prevails, the name that will head the page will be that of Ka Ying Rising.