Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) has created history in the wake of his record-breaking performance in the Gr.3 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (6 September) by achieving the highest rating ever awarded to a sprinter and returning to outright number one in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (LWBRR).

Unbeaten in his past 21 starts, Ka Ying Rising rose to a new career peak mark of 135 – four points clear of Ombudsman (131) – when the latest interim rankings were released on Thursday, 10 September.

Undefeated since February 2024, Ka Ying Rising received the four-point rise after scorching to his sixth course record at Sha Tin, and a fifth over the 1200m turf course, with a blistering 1m 06.11s for a seven-and-three-quarter-length victory.

The ratings panel’s decision to elevate Ka Ying Rising to 135 saw him surpass the previous highest mark achieved by a sprinter – Australian champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), who was assessed at 132 after winning the 2011 Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in record time. Black Caviar retired unbeaten after 25 starts.

 Trained by David Hayes and ridden by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising concluded 2025 rated 128 and, this year, elevated his mark to 130 in May, 131 in July and now 135.

Ka Ying Rising’s latest ranking is the joint-fourth highest mark ever given to a horse in the history of the LWBRR behind Frankel (Galileo), who scored 136 and 140 in 2011 and 2012, Flightline (Tapit) (140) and Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) (136).

It puts him on the same mark as Baaeed (Sea The Stars), Harbinger (Dansili) and Japan’s highest-ever rated horse Equinox (Kitasan Black) (135).

Nine-time Group One winner Ka Ying Rising, who travels to Sydney, Australia to defend his Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) crown next month, conceded 9kg to his opposition last weekend as he dominated from the front under top weight (61kg).

The superstar sprinter first broke Sacred Kingdom’s (Encosta De Lago) 1200m Sha Tin record of 1m 07.50s – which stood for 17 years – after clocking 1m 07.43s in the 2024 Gr.2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m).

The Shamexpress six-year-old then bettered his own record to 1m 07.20s in the 2025 Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) before lowering it twice more – 1m 07.12s in the 2026 Gr.2 Sprint Cup (1200m) before his 1m 07.10s in the 2026 Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), the previous best before last Sunday’s blitz.

His 1m 19.36s in the 2026 Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin is also a record. 

Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder), a four-time Group One winner, is second behind Ka Ying Rising in the latest LWBRR standings. Recently retired star three-year-old Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) comes next on 127. Hong Kong’s 15-time Group One winner Romantic Warrior (Acclamation), French-trained four-year-old Daryz (Sea The Stars) and last-start Gr.1 International Stakes (2051m) hero Item (Frankel) both rate 126.

Ka Ying Rising has entered quarantine at Sha Tin and will travel to Sydney later this month for The Everest – the world’s richest turf race – at Royal Randwick on 17 October.- Hong Kong Jockey Club

No Makybe Diva hangover for She’s A Hustler

Trainer Grahame Begg is heading to Flemington confident She's A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High) is over her hangover of chasing Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai). 

She's A Hustler heads to the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on Saturday with Begg happy in the knowledge Pride Of Jenni is not in the race. 

Pride Of Jenni and She's A Hustler met on three occasions during an autumn-winter campaign in Sydney and Brisbane and Begg believes it took a toll on his mare that is entered in the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) and the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). 

"She was thwarted by wet tracks, and I think she might have had a bit of Pride Of Jenni hangover," Begg said. 

"Her first three runs back last preparation, she was in three hard run races. 

"It might have gutted her a bit. Instead of getting in a race where you could flow and go through your gears, each race was a high tempo." 

That pressure won't be there on Saturday with the field cut to 10 following the withdrawals of Birdman (Free Eagle), Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock) and Aeliana (NZ) (Castlevecchio). 

Begg said Saturday's Makybe Diva kick-off best suits She's A Hustler's program towards the Caulfield Cup. 

After Saturday it will be the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3 then two weeks later the Caulfield Cup. 

"It's such a tight turnaround after winter," Begg said. 

"The right race for her is probably the Underwood (Gr.1) over 1800 metres, but it's only two weeks, two weeks (to the Caulfield Cup). 

"Going that way, you don't get to have a three-week buffer. 

"It's a very tight schedule, unless you started early in something like the Heatherlie (Listed, 1700m), but she looks to be tracking nicely. 

"She's got good residual fitness from Brisbane and having that has allowed us to kick off here as she raced right up until the middle of June and then she was able to have a bit of a break up there." 

She's A Hustler has had two trials at Caulfield Heath to prepare for Saturday's return, winning her latest over 1400m. 

"She took enormous improvement from her first trial to her second," Begg said. 

"And her coat is really starting to move now."  - RAS Newswire

Rangiora trainers hoping to match past deeds in Canterbury Belle

Nick Wigley and Kayla Milnes scored a sentimental victory with Matchmaker (NZ) (Makfi) in the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) six years ago, and they are hoping to replicate that feat in this year’s edition.

The Canterbury Belle had been in Wigley’s sights for some time, with the Canterbury horseman having bred and raced the race’s namesake, while Matchmaker’s victory gave Milnes her first stakes win as a trainer.

“She was a thrill to have in the stable and it was extremely satisfying,” Milnes said.

“Nick had the Canterbury Belle on the bucket list for a wee while because he had Canterbury Belle himself, so to win that was extremely satisfying and rewarding for the whole team.”

Matchmaker was bred and initially raced by Wigley’s son and daughter-in-law, Gus and Bianca Wigley, under the family’s Inglewood Stud banner, before a half share was sold to Manoj Wanzare.

She subsequently placed in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes 1400m) before continuing her racing career in Australia under leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller, for whom she won the Gr.3 P J Bell Stakes (1200m).

At the conclusion of her racing career, Matchmaker was offered for sale as a broodmare prospect at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where she was purchased by Dermot Farrington Bloodstock for A$425,000.

Matchmaker has had three foals to date and is currently in foal to Hitotsu.

While enjoying following Matchmakers career as a broodmare, Wigley and Milnes attention is now on trying to double their tally in the Canterbury Belle Stakes on Saturday with their promising filly Luminosity (NZ) (Too Darn Hot).

Another product of Inglewood Stud, the daughter of Too Darn Hot showed her handlers plenty as a juvenile last season when finishing runner-up on debut to subsequent Group Three performer Out Of The Blue (NZ) (Tivaci). However, her season was curtailed and Wigley and Milnes shifted their focus to her three-year-old term.

“We got stuck into her pretty early because we were wanting to have a crack at the Karaka Millions, and she was the perfect horse to do it, but unfortunately she kept going shin sore on us,” Milnes said.

“That’s why she had that first-up run and was ready to go but then she went shin sore and had to go back to the paddock.

“Hopefully she is all good to go as a three-year-old. She is a really typical Too Darn Hot, she is just full of muscle and loves her work. She is a nice horse to train.”

Luminosity resumed with a sixth placing over 1000m last month at Riccarton, but Milnes said she didn’t appreciate the Heavy8 track conditions, and she is concerned heading into the weekend, with Riccarton rated a Heavy10 on Friday morning.

“I am a little worried about the track, it will probably be a Heavy10,” she said. “I think she is going to appreciate a firmer track, so that is not ideal, but I am really happy with how she has come through the race and she is working up a treat.

“It will be nice to try and win it (Canterbury Belle) again, but it is a very competitive field so we will just see how we go.”

The Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) remains Luminosity’s main objective this spring, but Milnes said they will let the dust settle following Saturday’s run before deciding whether they continue down that path, and if so, which route they take.

“You are only three once, so we are always mapping those races out. You have got to dream,” she said.

“We will just see what happens on Saturday and we will make a plan after that. It is a wee bit hard with the tracks being softer, we aren’t going to get a true read on her ability I don’t think on Saturday.”

The stable will also line-up debut runner Shapeshifter (NZ) (Ocean Park) in the Hawke’s Bay Racing East Coast Challenge Qualifier Maiden (1200m).

“She has been a nice horse coming through,” Milnes said. “The reason she has waited until she is four is the same thing with her shins. She has had a few setbacks in the early years, so we have just played the patient game with her.

“It is a very strong field so she will be doing it pretty tough, but she has got ability and she is a nice horse. I don’t think she will mind the slightly wetter track.”

Meanwhile, the stable is currently preparing a couple of juveniles for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale in November, and Milnes said she is enjoying the new challenge.

“We are branching out a bit and doing that ourselves this year. We are quite excited about that,” she said.

“We have got a nice Wild Ruler gelding (lot 319) and a Profondo filly (lot 449). They will head up north in a couple of weeks.

“They are all educated and ready to go. We just had Kane (Jones, sales manager) from New Zealand Bloodstock looking at the yearlings, so he had a quick look at the two-year-olds and thought they were really nice types.”

The breeze ups for the sale will take place at Te Rapa on October 12 and 13, with the two-day sale commencing at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka Sales Complex on November 18. - Joshua Smith

Brenna Cooks up first training win

Illusionist (NZ) (Zacinto) has been a test of patience for owner-trainer Brenna Cook, but her persistence was rewarded when he posted her first training win in the Cup Week Tickets On Sale Now Maiden (2200m) at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday.

The six-year-old son of Zacinto had 15 prior starts for two placings, including a runner-up effort over a mile at the Christchurch track a fortnight ago.

Cook was pleased with her charge heading into Thursday but did have concerns about stepping him up to 2200m for the first time. However, she needn’t have worried, with Illusionist running out a dominant three-length victor over Gap It.

“I am really rapt. I am very proud of him,” Cook said.

“I knew he was fit and ready, but I was a bit concerned about the extra distance after the mile got scratched. I knew his fitness was there, it was just seeing out the 2200m.

“He has been a headscratcher, and he has been a really slow learner, so to see him show some improvement was really nice.

“He hasn’t been the easiest horse, but he is just clicking now, which is nice.”

Cook doesn’t hail from a racing background, but she found herself in the sport after she left school and she has enjoyed working with both thoroughbreds and standardbreds.

“When I left school I needed something to do, so I went to the horses,” she said.

“I started working in harness racing when I was 15 in dual code with Amber Hoffman. I then moved to Canterbury and did a bit with the Parsons and now I am at Robbie Holmes’ doing dual code again.”

The Balcairn-based horsewoman had competed in eventing as a teenager, but her focus completely turned to racing once she entered the industry.

“I did a lot of eventing for about four years and then went on to racing and I have only done racing since,” she said.

Cook has held ambitions of becoming a trainer since she entered the industry, and Illusionist was the catalyst to pull the trigger and take out her licence last year.

“I was very fortunate and got given Illusionist by John Clapham,” Cook said. “I had a mare that John had bred and when she finished John messaged me and said I could have this fella if I wanted him.

“Training has always been in the back of my mind and when I got offered this fella, I got him as a weanling, I broke him in and thought I have done everything with him so I may as well keep going.”

With a win now under her belt as both an owner and a trainer, Cook is keen to taste success as a breeder, and is hopeful a three-year-old filly she bred can provide that moment.

It hasn’t been an easy road for Cook with her filly, and she is hoping all her hard work and perseverance is rewarded on the track.

“I have got a three-year-old War Decree filly that I bred, and she is from John Clapham’s family too. She is just doing her second prep now,” Cook said.

“It has been quite tough with her. I nearly lost her to Salmonella and then she put her leg through a fence. She has been a long time coming but it looks like she should be nice. It is just a time thing.”

With spring in the air, Cook is now looking forward to the warmer weather and better tracks, which she said Illusionist will appreciated when he returns to racing on the grass.

“He will go to a grass meeting somewhere, but we will need a harder track, he doesn’t handle the wet,” she said. “I will just freshen him up a bit and kick on again.” - Joshua Smith