Ka Ying Rising's outstanding performance during the 2024-25 racing season saw the record-breaking speedster earn the Hong Kong Horse of the Year title at a special presentation held in the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong July 11. In addition, he was also named champion sprinter and champion 4-year-old at the ceremony.
Owned by Ka Ying Syndicate and trained by David Hayes, last season's champion griffin (a year-end championship for imported 2- and 3-year-olds that arrived in Hong Kong unraced) improved sharply in his sophomore season, scoring one of his biggest wins of the season in the Hong Kong Sprint (G1), and completing a record-equaling season with a commanding victory in the Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1) in April to secure this season's champion sprinter mantle.
His triumph in the Chairman's Sprint Prize not only left him unbeaten with eight wins from eight starts during the season, but also took his unbeaten streak to 12 consecutive races. The 3-year-old Shamexpress gelding completed a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series and collected a HK$5 million bonus, emulating the feats of Mr Vitality (1995-96), Grand Delight (2002-03), Silent Witness (2003-04 and 2004-05), and Lucky Sweynesse (2022-23).
Ka Ying Rising broke Sacred Kingdom's Sha Tin 1,200-meter (about six-furlong) record with a gallop of 1:07.43 in the Jockey Club Sprint (G2), lowering a mark which had stood since 2007. He broke his own record just two months later in a time of 1:07.2 in the Centenary Sprint Cup (G1). He is currently the world's highest-rated sprinter, with the international rating of 126, sitting joint-fourth alongside Romantic Warrior in the latest Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings at 126 behind co-top-rated horses Field of Gold, Forever Young, and Ombudsman (127). He was also named the champion 4-year-old based on his brilliant performance throughout the season.
Voyage Bubble Earns Champion Miler, Stayer
The Ricky Yiu-trained Voyage Bubble also enjoyed a stellar season, especially when he rewrote Hong Kong racing history with an impressive victory in the HK$13 million Champions & Chater Cup (G1) in May to become only the second horse in Hong Kong racing history after River Verdon in 1993-94 to complete the Triple Crown by winning the HK$13 million Stewards' Cup (G1), HK$13 million Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) and Champions & Chater Cup in the same season, snaring a HK$10 million bonus.
Voyage Bubble has dominated this season's mile and stayer divisions, winning this term's Hong Kong Mile (G1) and consecutive Stewards' Cup and, with these outstanding performances, the 6-year-old Deep Field gelding was crowned champion miler as well. His Hong Kong Mile win was further boosted by seven runners, including himself, from that race who subsequently achieved group 1 successes.
Romantic Warrior Named Champion Middle-Distance Horse
Romantic Warrior secured a fourth straight title as champion middle-distance horse, following his outstanding wins in the Hong Kong Cup (G1), Jebel Hatta (G1T) and Jockey Club Cup (G2). The Danny Shum-trained globetrotter also finished gallant second by a neck to top-rated Forever Young in the Saudi Cup (G1) in his sole try on dirt. He followed that gutsy performance with a narrow runner-up finish in the Dubai Turf (G1T), just a nose behind winning Soul Rush, taking his career earnings to a world record-extending HK$214.7 million.
The 7-year-old Acclamation gelding clocked a sensational record-breaking time of 1:45.10 to beat a group of global top middle-distance runners with more than four lengths to spare in the Jebel Hatta and became the first Hong Kong-trained horse to achieve group 1 successes in four different racing jurisdictions, namely Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and Dubai.
Other Awards
The Mark Newnham-trained My Wish is this season's most improved horse. After starting the campaign rated 54, the gelding soared 51 points to 105 after achieving four wins, two seconds, two thirds, and a fourth from nine starts in his second season, including his career-best performance when winning the Hong Kong Classic Mile in January.
My Wish ran well in the other two legs of the 4-Year-Old Classic Series, finishing second in both the Hong Kong Classic Cup and Hong Kong Derby.
Zac Purton is now an eight-time Hong Kong champion jockey. The Australian rider enjoyed another remarkable season of dominance, including reaching 1,800 career wins in Hong Kong and breaking Douglas Whyte's all-time record for Hong Kong win. He also reached 700 and 1,000 career wins on Happy Valley races and Sha Tin turf events, respectively, in the term.
This season's most popular jockey and most popular horse will be announced at the conclusion of the July 13 final Sha Tin meeting this season. The presentation ceremony for the 2024-25 Hong Kong champion trainer will also be held Sunday following the races should any trainer gain an unassailable lead ahead of the final fixture of the season July 16, while this season's champion griffin and Tony Cruz Award will be announced at the conclusion of Wednesday's 88th and final fixture this season at Happy Valley.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
