All eyes will be on the next edition of the Longines World Horse Class for 2026 after Ka Ying Rising’s latest record-breaking success, with the champion jockey’s rating expected to rise to at least 130.
Topping the rankings so far this year, Ka Ying Rising became Hong Kong’s highest-ranked athlete in history at 128 last year and has maintained that mark in 2026.
Since the WBRR’s last outing, the David Hayes-trained star has delivered two more record wins in the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Sunday’s Group Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m).
His 20th consecutive victory on Sunday earned Hayes the rating of “one of the all-time greats” and he could soon enter the ranks of Australian champion Black Caviar, who scored 132 points – the best figure by an athlete in 18 years – in 2011.
“I saw Black Caviar, but I think Ka Ying Rising’s level of success now is unmatched,” said The Jockey Club’s head of racing products and WBRR committee co-chairman Greg Carpenter.
“The next round of the interim World Racehorse Rankings will be May 14. As of right now, he is the highest ranked horse in the world at 128. One thing I can guarantee you, he will be higher than that number after his win in the (Sprint Cup) and again after winning the Sprint Chairman’s Award.
“I’ll be personally disappointed if we don’t see a number starting with 13 when we put out the interim figures in May.”
Sunday’s FWD Day of Champions was hailed as one of the city’s best days of racing, with Ka Ying Rising and fellow champion Romantic Warrior taking first place again.
Romantic Warrior claimed his 14th Group One victory with a convincing victory over Japanese star Masquerade Ball in the QEII Cup (2,000m).
“When you see the quality of the FWD QEII Cup, I believe this will be, at the end of the year, one of the highest rated races in the world,” said Jockey Club Chief Executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
Carpenter said he had never seen the QEII Cup “with such strength in the top half of the field”, with French star Sosie and Great Britain’s Royal Champion finishing third and fourth respectively.
Although many of the internationals were unable to beat Hong Kong’s two champions and Mile Champion My Wish, Jockey Club executive director Andrew Harding confirmed that some of them will return to the city for December’s Longines Hong Kong International Race.
The leaders were also pleased to see the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) ahead in the Champions Mile, with last year’s runner-up My Wish and winner Cap Ferrat finishing first and second respectively, and this year’s Derby hero Invincible Ibis a strong fourth.
Crawford’s Classic Mile hopes
Mr Incredible’s big win on Sunday flew under the radar on Champions Day, but it could be an early indicator for next year’s Classic Mile.
The three-year-old showed his ability with a good first-up win last month and rebounded from an unlucky sixth to enter nearly fourth.
“We were confident today of a really big run and I think he’s a horse that will continue to improve,” Crawford said.
“From the day he arrived, he showed me he’s a very smart horse. Obviously, that would be a long-term goal, the Classic Mile. It would be nice if I could give him another run this season and then put him aside and let him sit.”
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