The Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) lead-up meeting is in the bag and after the mouthwatering events of Sunday, we’re faced with the very real prospect that all four of December 14’s Group Ones could feature the defending champion.

We know for certain that, all being equal, we will see at least two local superstars defending their respective crowns after Ka Ying Rising carried on his merry way with a commanding success in the Group Two Jockey Club Sprint (1,200m) and Romantic Warrior returned from a 232-day absence to give his legion of fans exactly what they wanted to see with a strong win in the Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m).

Regardless of which international raiders are confirmed when the Jockey Club releases the HKIR fields on Wednesday, it seems far more likely than not that Ka Ying Rising will bag a second straight Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) and Romantic Warrior a ridiculous fourth consecutive Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) come international day.

The Group One Hong Kong Mile is far more open, with nominal early favourite My Wish failing to fully fire in the Group Two Jockey Club Mile and the quinella from Japan’s Group One Mile Championship – Jantar Mantar and Gaia Force – declining HKIR invites.

One galloper who did turn in a much-improved showing was Voyage Bubble, who finished second behind Romantic Warrior.

Now though, trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai has a decision to make.

Chase back-to-back Hong Kong Mile successes at a distance which may now be short of his stable star’s best, or reoppose Romantic Warrior in the knowledge he probably can’t beat him?

“He did his best and he was beaten by a world-class horse. We have options,” said Yiu.

“That’s why I entered two races – the Mile and the Cup at 2,000m.”

There is, of course, expected to be a strong international contingent in the Mile, while Mark Newnham is confident we will see a much better version of My Wish come December 14.

“He was five weeks between runs and I think he’ll be better in December with the three-week gap,” said the trainer.

The fourth HKIR feature, the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), will again be dominated by the raiders and officials are hopeful last year’s emphatic winner, Marco Botti’s Giavellotto, will be one of a number of internationals confirmed for the race on Wednesday.

Whatever transpires, there seems little doubt the two biggest stars to grace this year’s HKIR will be the two who dominated the weekend’s trial day.

The Sprint, for one, looks a mere formality, and perhaps the bigger question is not whether Ka Ying Rising will be winning, but just where the David Hayes-trained superstar sits among the best horses on the planet.

He and Romantic Warrior currently sit equal seventh in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, which includes races between January 1 and November 9 this year.

Sitting ahead of that 126-rated pair are Calandagan on 130 and Ombudsman at 128, while Daryz, Field Of Gold, Forever Young and Sovereignty have earned a rating of 127.

Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges is one who believes the Hong Kong duo should be sitting more prominently come the end of the year.

“It is very difficult to believe, but Ka Ying Rising is better even than he was before. He is still improving,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges.

“To be very honest, if a horse like him is not rated in the top five horses in the world – I have to be careful as the chairman of the IFHA not to make statements, but it’s not personal.

“I have in my whole life never seen a more impressive sprinter in the world. He has proven it here, he has proven it overseas.

“It’s the same if you look at a horse like Romantic Warrior coming back after such an absence.

“He could not have been more impressive and when you ask [James McDonald], who rides very good horses, who he thinks is one of the best horses in the world, I trust [his] judgment.”