David Hayes has sounded an ominous warning over Ka Ying Rising’s form as the world’s best sprinter bids to extend his winning streak to 15 consecutive races in the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 November).

Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising has improved since returning from a historic victory in the AU$20 million (approx. HK$101 million) G1 The Everest (1200m) at Randwick in Sydney, Australia on 18 October, as the five-time Group 1 victor prepares to share Sunday’s stage with fellow champions Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble at the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Race Day.

Ka Ying Rising will this weekend jump from barrier 10 – the same gate the mercurial speedster used in the 2024 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint – and Hayes is confident his stable star is poised to deliver a repeat performance.

“I think he has improved since The Everest. He hasn’t missed a bit, he’s trialled brilliantly and his final piece of fast work this week (on Wednesday, 19 November) was really good,” Hayes said. “I think the trip to Australia hasn’t worried – if anything, it’s helped him.

“I’m a believer that travel – if a horse handles it – it only brings them on. There are so many cases of horses travelling and not running well and coming back and running brilliantly. This horse went to Australia and won and has come back and looks to have improved.”

Ka Ying Rising (128lb) will this weekend concede five pounds to nine rivals – Lucky Sweynesse, Helios Express, Lucky With You, Beauty Waves, Fast Network, Raging Blizzard, Tomodachi Kokoroe, Wunderbar and Divano – and, if successful, will edge closer to Silent Witness (17 wins) and Golden Sixty (16) for the most consecutive wins by a Hong Kong, China horse.

Hayes is hopeful Zac Purton can again guide Ka Ying Rising into a striking position, just behind the speed in a repeat of last season’s race, but is wary of John Size-trained Helios Express despite his 27-length last behind Ka Ying Rising in a 1200m barrier trial on Sha Tin’s dirt track on 14 November.

“It’s a pretty even group and I would say if you ignore John Size’s horse’s trial, he’s the most consistent horse in town. His trial was poor but it was on very wet ground, so I would forgive that and just trust him to run his usual very good race,” Hayes said. “My other horse (Tomodachi Kokoroe) is in great form.”

To be ridden by James Orman from barrier seven, Wunderbar shapes as an intriguing runner as the only horse to have beaten Ka Ying Rising – having achieved the feat twice as a three-year-old before injury intervened.

Hayes will pit Straight Arron (123lb) against Romantic Warrior (128lb) and Voyage Bubble (128lb) in the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m), having reunited with the former Australian galloper after the gelding’s stints with Caspar Fownes and Ricky Yiu.

“It’s really good to get him back, but I couldn’t have found a harder race with the two best 2000m horses (Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble) in five years to race,” said Hayes, who will use the race to decide whether he should target the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) or the HK$26 million LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).

David Eustace will thrust Light Years Charm (123lb) into a clash with Group 1 winners Red Lion (128lb) and Beauty Eternal (123lb) and rapidly-rising star My Wish (123lb) in the G2 HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m).

“I think if he sees the mile out, then he can be very competitive, but that is a very big if. I think the favourite (My Wish) will be very hard to beat – he’s the absolute standout and is still an improving and young horse,” Eustace said.

“The rest have probably got to put in career-best runs to challenge him. I like to think our horse is still improving and I hope he gets the mile as it will open up a lot of options.”

Sunday’s (23 November) Bank of China (Hong Kong) Race Day starts with the Class 4 BOCHK Cross-Border Services Handicap (1200m) at 12.45pm.