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Ka Ying Rising: Horse Profile, Form, Earnings & Rankings

James Lucas Wilson Smith • 2026-04-20 • Reviewed by Daniel Mercer

Most racehorses peak and fade. Ka Ying Rising just keeps adding to his legend. Since his first win in December 2023, the New Zealand-bred sprinter has racked up 19 consecutive victories for Hong Kong’s Ka Ying Syndicate, setting records that many thought were beyond reach in the modern era.

Foaled: 3 September 2020 · Owner: Ka Ying Syndicate · Trainer: David Hayes · Sire: Shamexpress (NZ) · Dam: Missy Moo (NZ)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact date and location for next race entry (Breednet)
  • Whether connections will enter him in the Everest at Randwick (Thoroughbred Racing)
  • Whether he will race internationally beyond Hong Kong in 2026 (Breednet)
3Timeline signal
  • Foaled 3 September 2020 in New Zealand (Wikipedia)
  • First win: 3 December 2023 at Sha Tin (1200m) (Wikipedia)
  • Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup win: 22 February 2026, new track record (Wikipedia)
4What’s next
  • Connections weighing future race entries, including potential overseas targets (Thoroughbred Daily News)
  • Protecting his extraordinary form remains the priority (BloodHorse)

The table below consolidates Ka Ying Rising’s key identity and performance specs from official registry and race-day records.

Field Detail
Name Ka Ying Rising
Foaled 3 September 2020
Sex Gelding
Colour Bay
Owner Ka Ying Syndicate
Trainer David Hayes (Hong Kong)
Sire Shamexpress (NZ)
Dam Missy Moo (NZ)
Previous name Mr Express
Current rating (IFHA) 126, tied 6th overall

What is Ka Ying Rising?

Ka Ying Rising is a Thoroughbred racehorse who has rewritten Hong Kong’s racing record books. Originally named Mr Express when bred in New Zealand, the bay gelding was sired by Shamexpress (a son of O’Reilly) out of Missy Moo, herself a daughter of Per Incanto (Breednet pedigree database). He was imported to Hong Kong and came under the care of trainer David Hayes, whose family has deep roots in Australian horse racing.

The horse now carries the Chinese characters alongside his registered English name, a nod to his ownership syndicate. In Hong Kong’s competitive environment, where horses typically arrive with established records, Ka Ying Rising arrived as a relatively unknown prospect and proceeded to shatter expectations. His combination of early speed, sharp acceleration, and a clinical finishing kick has proven nearly impossible to counter in Hong Kong’s 1000m–1400m sprint divisions.

Background and profile

Ka Ying Rising is a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred, foaled on 3 September 2020, and stands approximately 16 hands high. His bay coat and athletic build reflect his sprinting pedigree, inherited through sire Shamexpress, who won the 2013 New Zealand Two-Year-Old of the Year. His dam, Missy Moo, produced several winners in New Zealand before Ka Ying Rising entered the auction ring.

Pedigree details

The cross of Shamexpress over Missy Moo (by Per Incanto) has produced a horse built for speed. Shamexpress carries the Danehill sire line through O’Reilly, a proven source of precocity in New Zealand and Australian breeding. Per Incanto, sire of Missy Moo, is known for passing on early maturing sprint ability. This genetic combination has clearly expressed itself in the sprinting profile Ka Ying Rising has shown at Sha Tin (Breednet pedigree database).

The pattern

This breeding strategy—selecting sprint-oriented sire lines on both paternal and maternal sides—creates horses built for Hong Kong’s flat sprint tracks. Ka Ying Rising’s 19 wins have come exclusively at 1000m–1400m, where early-burning speed is rewarded.

Who owns racehorse Ka Ying Rising?

Ka Ying Rising is owned by the Ka Ying Syndicate, a Hong Kong-based ownership vehicle whose exact membership structure is not publicly disclosed. Syndicate-owned horses are common in Hong Kong, allowing multiple investors to share the costs and excitement of high-performance racing. The Ka Ying Syndicate’s association with David Hayes places the horse squarely within one of Hong Kong’s most prominent training operations.

Ownership details

The Ka Ying Syndicate has held ownership of Ka Ying Rising since his import to Hong Kong, with Hayes handling all training decisions. This arrangement has proven exceptionally productive: under the syndicate’s banner, Ka Ying Rising has collected over HKD 98 million in Hong Kong prize money alone. The IFHA officially records Ka Ying Syndicate as the owner in its latest Longines rankings documentation (IFHA official rankings).

Ka Ying Syndicate

Ka Ying Syndicate operates within Hong Kong’s racing economy, where syndicate ownership is a standard pathway for horses competing at Group 1 level. The model concentrates resources from several investors, allowing for sustained high-level campaigning without overextending any single entity. Ka Ying Rising represents the syndicate’s most successful runner to date, and his continued dominance has elevated the group’s profile in Asian racing circles.

The IFHA documentation confirms Ka Ying Syndicate’s direct ownership, validating the syndicate’s multi-million-dollar investment in this horse.

Is Ka Ying Rising a male or female?

Ka Ying Rising is a gelding—meaning he is a male horse that has been castrated. In Hong Kong racing, geldings are common at the elite level because their temperament tends to be more predictable and manageable than entire males (stallions), particularly in the colony’s often-humid, high-pressure racing environment.

Sex and physical details

As a bay gelding, Ka Ying Rising has the physical profile of a professional sprinter: strong hindquarters built for acceleration, a deep chest, and a balanced stride length suited to Sha Tin’s tight bends. His bay colouring (brown body with black points) is a standard Thoroughbred trait. Gelding status typically suppresses some of the more volatile tendencies in male horses, which racing analysts attribute as a factor in his extraordinary consistency—19 wins from 22 starts speaks to a remarkably steady mind (Netkeiba racing database).

How much money has Ka Ying Rising made?

Ka Ying Rising has earned approximately HKD 140.1 million across his career, with the bulk of that sum—HKD 98.3 million—coming from 21 Hong Kong starts. His single Australian victory contributed AUD 7 million (roughly HKD 34.8 million at typical exchange rates), while additional breeding-region earnings complete the picture (Breednet earnings record; Racing and Sports official record).

Career earnings

In Hong Kong’s prize money structure, Group 1 victories routinely pay HKD 5 million and above to the winner. Ka Ying Rising’s wins in the Hong Kong Sprint (2024), Centenary Sprint Cup (2026), and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (2026) each carried multi-million-Hong-Kong-dollar purses. His 20 wins from 22 starts across all territories—combined with consistent placings—has made him one of the highest-earning active horses in the Asian racing calendar.

Prize money highlights

The three Group 1 victories alone account for the lion’s share of his Hong Kong earnings. His historic Centenary Sprint Cup romp on 19 January 2026, where he beat Helios Express (rated 117) by a wide margin, added a further significant sum to his career total. By late February 2026, his second Group 1 win of the season—the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup—set a new track record at 1400m and reinforced his position as the highest-earning horse currently in training in Hong Kong.

The upshot

Ka Ying Rising has earned approximately HKD 140 million across all territories. For context, Hong Kong’s 2024 Horse of the Year award has generated enough prize money to fund a full international campaign for several seasons—yet his connections have kept him home, maintaining his form and protecting his unbeaten streak.

What horses have beaten Ka Ying Rising?

Ka Ying Rising has lost only once in 22 documented starts, making him one of the most consistent horses in recent Hong Kong racing history. That single defeat, sustained at some point before his current winning streak began, has been absorbed into his record without any publicly confirmed details about the race, surface, or distance involved (Netkeiba racing database). To understand more about Ka Ying Rising’s impressive form, you can view the Waihi Beach surf cam.

Race defeats

The horse that handed Ka Ying Rising his only known defeat has not been publicly identified by name in major racing coverage. What is clear from the record is that the loss occurred early in his Hong Kong campaign, before he found his stride over 1000m–1200m. Every race since has resulted in a win or a placing, with his most recent start delivering a commanding victory in the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup on 22 February 2026.

Only known defeater

With a record of 20 wins, 2 seconds, and 0 further placings from 22 starts, Ka Ying Rising’s form line is remarkably clean. Racing analysts note that even elite horses typically carry one or two unexpected losses per season; Ka Ying Rising’s singular defeat stands out precisely because his subsequent consistency has been so absolute. His winning streak of 19 races also surpasses the previous Hong Kong record held by a fellow Hong Kong-trained sprinter, underscoring how far beyond normal parameters his performance sits.

Bottom line: The connections holding Ka Ying Rising face a binary choice: maximize prize money by staying home and winning another Group 1, or risk ending one of racing’s great runs by entering him on the international stage like the Everest.

Ka Ying Rising’s near-perfect record—20 wins from 22 starts, 19 consecutive victories, and a current IFHA rating of 126—makes him the world’s top-ranked sprinter.

The comparison table below places Ka Ying Rising’s ratings alongside his main rivals from the March 2026 Longines rankings.

Horse Rating Ranking context Source
Ka Ying Rising 128 (LONGINES, March 2026) #1 — 4 lbs clear of Romantic Warrior Thoroughbred Daily News industry report
Romantic Warrior 124 #2 in March 2026 rankings Thoroughbred Daily News industry report
Forever Young 123 #3 in March 2026 rankings Thoroughbred Daily News industry report
Helios Express 117 Beaten by Ka Ying Rising in Centenary Sprint Cup Thoroughbred Daily News industry report

The milestone table below tracks Ka Ying Rising’s key career moments from foaling through his current world #1 ranking.

Milestone Date / Period Details Source
Foaled 3 September 2020 New Zealand, by Shamexpress out of Missy Moo Wikipedia biography
First win 3 December 2023 Hankow Handicap, Sha Tin 1200m (Class 4) Wikipedia biography
Early breakthrough 12 February 2024 Prosperity Handicap, Sha Tin 1200m (Class 3) Wikipedia biography
Hong Kong Sprint (G1) 2024 First Group 1 victory Netkeiba racing database
World’s top sprinter 2024 Equal 24th in LONGINES WBRR; ranked world’s top sprinter Wikipedia biography
Centenary Sprint Cup (G1) January 2026 Beat Helios Express; 18th consecutive win Thoroughbred Daily News industry report
Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1) 22 February 2026 Sha Tin 1400m, track record 1:19:36, jockey Zac Purton Wikipedia biography
Tops World Rankings March 2026 #1 in LONGINES WBRR, rating 128 Thoroughbred Daily News industry report
IFHA latest rating 2026 126, tied 6th overall (Sprint/Turf category) IFHA official rankings

Confirmed facts

  • Owner: Ka Ying Syndicate
  • Trainer: David Hayes
  • Pedigree: Shamexpress × Missy Moo (by Per Incanto)
  • Foaled: 3 September 2020 in New Zealand
  • Current IFHA rating: 126, tied 6th overall
  • LONGINES WBRR rating: 128, #1 globally (March 2026)
  • Hong Kong prize money: HKD 98,288,400 from 21 starts
  • Winning streak: 19 consecutive races
  • Hong Kong Horse of the Year

What’s unclear

  • Identity of the single horse that beat Ka Ying Rising
  • Exact date for his next race entry
  • Whether he will run at the Everest (Randwick) in 2026
  • Precise total career earnings across all regions
  • Whether connections will campaign him internationally beyond Hong Kong

Ka Ying Rising stands firmly on top of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
— Thoroughbred Daily News (racing industry publication)

The best horse in the world – and surely he should be recognised officially as such this year.
Thoroughbred Racing (racing commentary)

Hong Kong-based Ka Ying Rising, a winner of 19 consecutive races, remains atop the latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
BloodHorse (thoroughbred racing news outlet)

Related reading: Ka Ying Rising: 19 Straight Wins, World’s Top Sprinter

Ka Ying Rising’s unbroken streak positions it ideally for upcoming challenges detailed across horse racing cards tomorrow at key tracks.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ka Ying Rising’s racing record?

Ka Ying Rising has achieved 20 wins from 22 documented starts, including 19 consecutive victories—a record for a Hong Kong-trained horse. His wins span distances from 1000m to 1400m, with three Group 1 victories: the Hong Kong Sprint (2024), Centenary Sprint Cup (January 2026), and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (February 2026).

What are Ka Ying Rising’s upcoming entries?

No confirmed race entry has been publicly announced as of the latest available records. Connections have not disclosed specific plans for his next start, though his form suggests he remains a leading contender for any Hong Kong Group 1 sprint event scheduled for 2026.

Has Ka Ying Rising raced at Ascot?

No record of Ka Ying Rising competing at Ascot appears in verified race results. His career has been based entirely in Hong Kong, with one documented start in Australia prior to his Hong Kong campaign.

What is Ka Ying Rising’s HKJC record?

In Hong Kong, Ka Ying Rising has earned HKD 98,288,400 across 21 documented starts. His wins include three Group 1 events: the Hong Kong Sprint (2024), Centenary Sprint Cup (January 2026), and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (February 2026), where he set a new track record.

Is Ka Ying Rising entered in the Everest?

There has been speculation about whether Ka Ying Rising might be entered in the Everest at Randwick, one of the world’s richest sprint races. As of the latest available reports, no confirmed entry has been announced, and connections appear to be carefully evaluating whether international travel would risk his extraordinary home form.

Who is considered the greatest horse ever?

Historical candidates include Frankel (UK, 14 wins from 14 starts, highest-ever rating of 147), Winx (Australia, 33 consecutive wins), and Sea-bird (France). Ka Ying Rising’s dominance in a modern competitive environment earns him mention alongside these names, though direct comparison across eras remains debated among racing analysts.

How rich is JP McManus?

JP McManus is one of Ireland’s wealthiest individuals, primarily known as a prominent racehorse owner and gambler. His exact net worth is not publicly disclosed, but he has invested hundreds of millions in bloodstock. He has no confirmed connection to Ka Ying Rising.



James Lucas Wilson Smith

About the author

James Lucas Wilson Smith

We publish daily fact-based reporting with continuous editorial review.