Ka Ying Rising, Lucky Sweyness Prevail in Hong Kong

Ka Ying Rising (NZ) grabbed his 19th straight victory and one-time local sprint champion Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) found new life as a miler on the Easter Monday program April 6 at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. Ka Ying Rising holds the top spot on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings but really was in a class of his own as he swept to a 4 1/4-length victory in the Sprint Cup (G2). The 5-year-old let a pair of rivals enjoy a few moments in front before jockey Zac Purton shook the reins about 300 meters from home. As usual, the response was immediate. Ka Ying Rising never turned a hair and Purton was just along for the ride as they finished the 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs) in course-record time of 1:07.12. It was the third time the gelding had lowered that particular record and he did it despite running into a stiff headwind through backstretch. He also holds the course record of 1:19.36 for the 1,400 meters (about 7 furlongs) and has accomplished all that essentially without being asked for his best. Purton casually allowed Ka Ying Rising could have shaved a few more ticks off his own record. "It's the best he's accelerated at the top of the straight, so it was there for him to do it. But I wasn't looking for him to do it. I wasn't out there to run time today," Purton said. Trainer David Hayes echoed his rider's assessment. "Zac's words: He said, 'I think he's getting better.' He just said, 'He loves taking a sit. If they go fast, he's a better horse. The faster they go, the better he is.' Those were his words," Hayes said. All being well, Ka Ying Rising will seek his 20th straight win in the Chairman's Sprint Prize (G1) on Champions Day April 26—a race designed to attract international runners but now a less attractive target for foreigners staring down the barrel of the world's best, getting better. The first target of the 2026-27 season is The Everest (G1) in Australia, which Ka Ying Rising won in 2025. While public adulation rained down on Ka Ying Rising, Lucky Sweynesse staked his claim to a ranking among Hong Kong's top milers with a handy win in the Chairman's Trophy (G2). After allowing Iowa-bred Chancheng Glory to show the way, jockey Derek Leung steered Lucky Sweynesse three-wide entering the straight, found the front 250 meters out and held off a fast-closing My Wish (AUS) by a short head. Voyage Bubble (AUS), last season's Triple Crown winner, settled for third. Lucky Sweynesse was Hong Kong's champion sprinter in the 2022-23 season, but suffered a left front injury in 2024 and took more than a year to recover. On his return, Ka Ying Rising proved too much to handle so trainer Manfred Man began experimenting. The Chairman's Trophy was only his second attempt at a mile and the victory was the first since his injury. "He makes me feel surprised," the trainer said. "When he was young, he was a sprinter, but now as a 7-year-old, he can go to 1 mile. This horse is very fit, and we are lucky in this race that we had two horses go to the front. He stayed behind the leaders and he ran very comfortably. The horse did very well." The newfound success will be tested in the Champions Mile (G1) on Champions Day, with some accomplished foreigners penciled in for that field.