All roads lead to a $20 million The Everest (1200m) defence for Ka Ying Rising, with the champion sprinter sent for a spell after yet another rout of his Hong Kong rivals on Sha Tin’s FWD Champions Day.

Ka Ying Rising again electrified racing fans with a record-extending 20th consecutive and ninth Group 1 win in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on Sunday, beating his own track benchmark by clocking 1:07.10 and returning a peak local rating of 142.

David Hayes said the gelding had pulled up in rude health but would have a break before aiming again towards Sydney’s Everest, an event he won in 2025.

“I could run him today (Tuesday, 28 April). He’s fantastic. He’s having a well-earned rest and we’re looking forward to next season,” Hayes said.

“He’ll go to Conghua on Wednesday (29 April). The Everest is in the front of my mind – we’re looking forward to defending the title and then, of course, the big international race here in December.”

Hayes now openly admits that Ka Ying Rising is the best horse amongst a litany of topliners that he has trained, brushing aside globetrotting hero Better Loosen Up “by a long way”.

“Poor old Better Loosen Up, he’s going to get his picture moved a little bit,” Hayes said.

“He’ll still hold pride of place - he was the world’s highest rated horse for a year - but I think this bloke is in another stratosphere.”

The Hall of Fame trainer even went to the lengths of comparing him to the best horse he’d ever seen.

“I’m a Black Caviar fan from way back - competed against her a lot - but I think this one can at least be compared,” Hayes said.

“Winx is a different division, longer distances, so you like to compare like for like. Even Black Caviar, they used to say she would go around at Bernborough odds. Now, you can say they go around at Ka Ying odds; they’re the shortest that any horse has ever been.”