By Paul Ryding

David Hayes calls the legendary Silent Witness “the first great sprinter” and “the best he ever saw”, and delights in having a horse that has equalled his incredible feat of 17 straight victories.

The Australian Racing Hall of Fame trainer said it would be a “great thrill” to surpass the Hong Kong hero as his charge, Ka Ying Rising, enters final preparations in the bid to claim a Hong Kong record 18th consecutive win in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on Sunday, 22 February.

DRF is happy to provide international racing nightly on DRF. Watch and wager on top-tier International races daily from Australia, France, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. Major tracks include Flemington, Moonee Valley, Royal Randwick, Sha Tin, Happy Valley and more. Bet on all the big races from The Melbourne Cup to The Championships at Royal Randwick and the Hong Kong Cup. These free international past performances are available courtesy of Sky Racing World.

Thursday, February 12, (France)

The rapidly-improving Tentryis, a Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old, meets older horses for the first time in Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.

Tentryis was the 7-5 favorite in early betting on Wednesday, and will start against seven others that include the seven-time stakes winner Giga Kick, the Group 1 winner Baraqiel and another leading 3-year-old in Beiwacht.

All of those runners will start for the first time this year in the $713,100 Lightning Stakes, run on a straightaway five-furlong course.

By Paul Ryding

As is becoming customary in the build-up to sprint superstar Ka Ying Rising’s races, trainer David Hayes declared himself delighted with a routinely impressive showing in a Sha Tin barrier trial on Tuesday morning (10 February).

By Paul Ryding

Momentum is building for David Hayes in the trainers’ championship, and the Australian sends seven runners to Happy Valley on Wednesday (11 February) as the battle with Mark Newnham continues.

The two are separated by the slenderest of margins at the top of the standings with Newnham on 35 winners for the season, and last season’s runner-up Hayes on 34.

Paul Lally
R1 4-2-8-5
R2 4-12-5-2
R3 6-4-8-9
R4 7-2-3-6
R5 2-6-1-7
R6 2-11-3-4
R7 1-3-12-11
R8 9-7-11-4
R9 2-7-6-10

Best Bets R4 N7 Master Resolute
Longshot R9 N2 Symbol Of Strength
Play R8 QQP 7-9-11

Mark McNamara
R1: 4.1.2.7
R2: 12.11.2.4
R3: 8.4.6.3
R4: 1.2.6.7
R5: 10.2.1.3
R6: 2.3.4.11
R7: 3.1.9.12
R8: 7.6.9.11
R9: 5.7.10.3

Best Bet R3 N8 Inno Super
Longshot R5 N10 Lean Master
Play R3 Q/P 4.6.8

In the eighth instalment of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Road to the Derby series, we unpack the “superb” HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) third placing of Beauty Bolt and look at the galloper’s claims through the remaining two races in the 2025/26 Four-Year-Old Classic Series.

With less than three weeks until the second leg – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 1 March – and with the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March on the horizon, Beauty Bolt shapes as one of the key players moving forward.

Happy Valley Selections
(Wednesday, February 11, 2026)

By Paul Ryding

Numbers firmly advanced his credentials for the remainder of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a commanding victory in Sunday’s (8 February) G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin.

The Frankie Lor-trained galloper dominated his six rivals, each with a Group-level winning profile, as he led from start-to-finish on his way to a two-length victory in the HK$4.2 million contest.