Ka Ying Rising has to be rated one of Hong Kong’s all-time great racehorses and will have the chance to sit at the top of that tree if he continues his incredible winning streak.

The world’s best sprinter broke Silent Witness’ 21-year record with an 18th consecutive triumph in Sunday’s Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m), smashing the track record in another dominant success.

He has been an unstoppable force since starting the streak two years ago, just after the only two defeats of what has become a glittering career.

Now at the age of five, Ka Ying Rising is racing at the peak of his powers and has “another couple of seasons” of continuing his dominance if he stays sound, trainer David Hayes said.

That is a frightening prospect for his rivals but exciting for his connections and Hong Kong racing fans.

Opinions will vary. There will be many who still rate Silent Witness above Ka Ying Rising in the pecking order of all-time greats, despite the latter breaking his record.

Then there are a host of other past champions, including Beauty Generation and Able Friend, and more recent legends like Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior, who currently holds the title of the world’s highest-earning galloper of all time.

He isn’t there right now but when Ka Ying Rising’s career does come to a close, there is every chance he is spoken about as the city’s best ever galloper.

Tony Cruz, the trainer of the great Silent Witness, still believes his stable champion stands above Ka Ying Rising.

“Silent Witness was unbeaten from his first 17 runs. You can’t compare that,” Cruz said.

“Ka Ying Rising is in this time a superstar and has many, many more wins ahead. There are many more races he can keep proving himself – not just in Hong Kong, but elsewhere. He is a world champion.”

Size’s Stellar straight specialist

Stellar Express continued his affinity with Sha Tin’s 1,000m straight course when he held off Colourful King to complete a hat-trick on Sunday.

Fresh from a dominant success in the Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1,000m) over Colourful King, John Size’s in-form sprinter again proved too slick for David Eustace’s galloper despite a 7lb swing in the latter’s favour.

Sent to the front by Andrea Atzeni, the $4.8 second favourite Stellar Express kept on strongly to hold the $1.5 favourite Colourful King by a nose, with Group One winner Invincible Sage a distant third.

“I think being a track specialist makes a big difference – that’s what he wants, the straight 1,000m. Five wins at the course and distance now jumps off the page doesn’t it?,” Size said.

“So therefore he’s going to be hard to beat in any of those contests.”

With his rating set to soar from 99 into the 100s, Stellar Express will be difficult to place but Size is nonetheless thrilled with what the French import has achieved in his local career so far.

“He’s hard to place, there’s always that, but for what he is, he’s done very well,” said Size.

“He’s climbed in the ratings and matured – the Europeans sometimes take a little bit longer, but he’s found his niche.”

Moreira to return to HK?

Joao Moreira could be back in Hong Kong, with speculation mounting at Sha Tin on Sunday that the superstar jockey will return for a short stint at the end of the season.

Much of Moreira’s global success has come in Hong Kong including four championships, 1,235 winners, a record eight at a single meeting and a host of Group One victories.

He left the city in December 2022, citing the mental toll of being a jockey in Hong Kong during the coronavirus pandemic while battling a chronic hip injury.

Moreira had hoped to rejoin Hong Kong’s riding ranks earlier this season as Caspar Fownes’ stable jockey, but the move was denied by the Jockey Club because the riding roster was full at the time.