In an ominous warning to Ka Ying Rising’s rivals, David Hayes has declared the superstar sprinter is “four or five lengths better” than in December ahead of Sunday’s Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) at Sha Tin.

During his extraordinary rise to become the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising was at his most vulnerable in December’s Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) when clinging on to a narrow triumph over Helios Express and Japan’s Satono Reve.

While Zac Purton argued the win was better than it looked after Ka Ying Rising jumped slowly and worked hard early from gate 11, it was the closest the son of Shamexpress has come to being beaten since the first of his 11 consecutive victories.

Since that maiden elite-level success, Ka Ying Rising has returned to his explosive winning ways with dominant displays in the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m), Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) and Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m).

“I think we’re probably four or five lengths better than he was when he won the [Hong Kong Sprint] and I think his form proves that,” Hayes said.

“I was very bullish in December, but the whole team feels he’s a better horse now than he was. It must be remembered that he is only four years old and I think he is going into his golden year next year.”

Hayes and Purton identified Satono Reve as the main threat in Sunday’s HK$22 million feature, with the Noriyuki Hori-trained sprinter fresh from his first Group One win in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1,200m) at Chukyo last start.

Satono Reve was only three-quarters of a length behind Ka Ying Rising in December when storming home late under Joao Moreira, who again takes the ride on Sunday.

“The Japanese horse was incredibly impressive in Japan and I think he’s the obvious danger. I’ve got a lot of respect for him. I might be a bit biased, but I think we’ve got him covered,” Hayes said.

Hayes and Purton were delighted when Ka Ying Rising drew barrier four – his best draw since February last year.

“I don’t want a slowly run race to the first corner where a heap of horses are all in a bunch and I want to try to split the field up a little bit,” Purton said.

“I’ll be using his speed early and make the other horses work a little bit if they want to try and cross him.”

Purton will be bidding for his third Chairman’s Sprint Prize triumph after booting home Lucky Sweynesse in 2023 and Ivictory in 2018.

“He’s in good order and is ready to go,” Purton said of Ka Ying Rising.

“He’s a pleasure to do anything with and if you could order a horse, you would order him. He’s got the best attitude, he goes home and he eats and he recovers and he does everything you want.

“He cruises so comfortably on that fast speed and then he can accelerate and put them away off the back of it. And then he just gaps his rivals when he is placed in that scenario.”

Danon McKinley, Lugal and A Shin Fencer join Satono Reve in Japan’s three-pronged attack on Ka Ying Rising, while Helios Express is expected to figure in the finish again after five seconds and a third behind the superstar from six runs this term.