Ka Ying Rising the third highest-rated sprinter in history

Champion Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising is now the third highest-rated in history according to Timeform.

David Hayes’ sprinting sensation made it 20 wins on the bounce at the weekend. He broke his own track record at Sha Tin over 6f when blazing away to win the Chairman’s Sprint Prize. Jockey Zac Purton merely pressed the accelerator in the home straight and even eased him down.

The startling performance was perhaps his best yet on a racecourse. Hints that he could run at Royal Ascot this summer remain.

In the meantime, he has reached a new high on his Timeform rating. The organisation has improved him to a mark of 137, making him the third highest-rated sprinter in history. He is also the highest-rated sprinter of the 21st century, surpassing Battaash and Black Caviar. The latter tested her reputation at the royal meeting later in her career. It is inevitable Ascot will do all they can to lure Ka Ying Rising to Berkshire too.

Ka Ying Rising “in that all-time great status” – David Johnson

In his analysis of Ka Ying Rising’s weekend performance, David Johnson of Timeform marked how historic his effort was.

As written in the Sporting Life, he said: “Ka Ying Rising, the world’s best sprinter, has a new Timeform rating of 137. That’s an increase from his pre-race figure of 135.

“We saw at the weekend, he was eased down to win a second Chairman’s Prize and extend that winning sequence to 20, beating Satono Reve by almost twice as far as he did last year.

“That rating of 137 takes him above modern greats like Black Caviar and Battaash (both 136), and level with Dayjur and Moorestyle. When looking at the list of Timeform’s historic top sprinters, a rating of 137 has Ka Ying Rising joint third behind only Abernant, who was rated 142, and Papa Fourway, who was rated 139.

“Abernant was the dominant sprinter of 1949 and 1950 and won the King’s Stand, two July Cups, two Nunthorpes and two King Georges. Pappa Fourway won the King’s Stand, July Cup and Diadem back in 1955.”

There is little ground for Ka Ying Rising to make up with the greatest sprinters in the sport’s history. It is plausible that a wide-margin win at Ascot could see him ascend to a new level entirely.

Either way, Johnson confirmed that the son of Shamexpress has elevated his standing to brand new heights this year.

“What we’re seeing from Ka Ying Rising is definitely putting him in that all-time great status.”

Timeform’s Highest-Rated Sprinters