Ka Ying Rising aims for historic 18th straight win on Feb 22

Current Hong Kong Champion Ka Ying Rising targets a record-breaking 18 consecutive victories in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on February 22, surpassing Silent Witness’s 17-win mark from two decades ago.

Ka Ying Rising, Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year, has tied Silent Witness’s 17-win record with a victory in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) on January 25 at Sha Tin. Undefeated since February 2024, the gelding holds the Hong Kong 1200m turf record of 1:07.20 (64 km/h).

Ranked as the world’s top sprinter in the 2025 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, it won Australia’s Everest Stakes (1200m) last October—the first non-Australian horse to do so.

Despite modest breeding (sire Shamexpress won a Group 1, and dam Missy Moo was winless at the elite level), its explosive acceleration and calm focus delivered the streak in just 23 months—four months faster than Silent Witness.

Trainer David Hayes calls it a rare blend of talent and temperament, cool under pressure and focused at the gate. Stable staff note its gentle, intelligent nature.

Ka Ying Rising's groom Chan Kwong-hao praises its cooperation and occasional playful post-win attitude.

The horse embodies Hong Kong’s resilient, never-give-up spirit—proving extraordinary results through grit, not pedigree, Chan added.

Ken Cheung, the Conghua-based rider for David Hayes’ stable, is the only person to have ridden both Ka Ying Rising and Silent Witness.

He says both champion horses share a gentle, quiet temperament, possess tremendous fighting spirit, and have similarly long strides.

During training, both are highly obedient to instructions and finish sessions appearing relaxed and effortless.

He says Ka Ying Rising benefits hugely from Conghua’s spacious, advanced facilities for relaxed, powerful development.

He feels privileged to have ridden two world-class champions 20 years apart.