NZ-bred KA YING RISING – the World’s number one sprinter, post-race at Sha Tin with jockey Zac Purton

Photo: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Extending his consecutive race winning sequence to sixteen at the weekend - the last six at the elite Gr.1 level - KA YING RISING, the sensational son of SHAMEXPRESS, provided the racing world with yet another insight into the exceptional ability he possesses.

At Hong Kong’s championship racemeeting at Sha Tin racecourse on Sunday, in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint, KA YING RISING confirmed his rating as the world’s best sprinter, and arguably the best racehorse in the world, with a breathtaking performance that left racegoers awestruck with the dominance and ease of a victory that propelled him to the highest earning sprinter of all time with a career earnings total now in excess of NZ$28 million.

With a powerhouse display the SHAMEXPRESS gelding produced one of his best victories, surging away from his rivals to win by three-and-three-quarter lengths in a time of 1m 07.7s eased down.

Champion KA YING RISING - potentially the world's best racehorse

Rider Zac Purton said KA YING RISING’s performance was what everyone wanted to see. “He is just in a league of his own now”, said Purton.

Declaring KA YING RISING the best horse he has trained, Champion conditioner David Hayes commented:

“He was just superb today.The messages he was sending the week of the race suggested he’d do something like that. They are not running fast times today, but he has run a lot faster than the other races".

Click on the following link to watch KA YING RISING win the 2025 Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint https://youtu.be/sBJ8J1qdH8I?si=ynsfdjO1UGK1DcGy

“I think on the eye, that’s as spectacular a win as he’s had. The Royal Ascot form was in the race, great Japanese form in the race, form from Dubai and the Breeders’ Cup – they’re probably the best sprinters around and he’s making them look ordinary and I can assure you, they’re not, said Hayes.

“He’ll be set for the fantastic Hong Kong [Speed Series] again. It’ll be fun to see him out to 1,400m [in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup], which he did last season, and then all systems [go] towards the [Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize] here and then he’ll be going to The Everest again.

“Let’s hope he’s sound and well but if he’s in the form he was in today, he’ll love to take those Aussies on again.”

Hayes also predicted KA YING RISING will soon beat his Sha Tin 1200m track record of 1m 07.20.

“He is a lot heavier and stronger now, so physically he is really improving, and it is showing on the track,” Hayes said.

Legendary international jockey Ryan Moore paid KA YING RISING the ultimate compliment after finishing ninth in the race on Japan’s Satono Reve.

“The winner’s just exceptional – the best I’ve seen at that trip,” Moore said.

Bred by bred by Fraser & Erin Auret, under their Grandmoral Lodge banner, Ka Ying Rising was sold privately to Hayes after a jumpout winning performance in New Zealand as a two-year-old.

Leading sire SHAMEXPRESS at Windsor Park Stud

Ka Ying Rising’s sire SHAMEXPRESS, a Gr.1 winning Australian sprinter who is based at Windsor Park Stud, Cambridge currently leads NZ’s Centaine sires award by nearly $1million. The very successful sire has seven Lots catalogued for sale at next month’s NZB National yearling Sales at Karaka.