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Sprint sensation Ka Ying Rising has taken one step closer towards the 2025 Everest when saluting in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m).

Already hailed the world's best sprinter when breaking Sacred Kingdom's track record in the Premier Bowl last start, the David Hayes trained galloper justified his very short quote ($1.10), though not in the dominant fashion everyone expected.

Landing outside the lead from the wide draw, Ka Ying Rising never settled in the run and while drawing clear at the top of the straight, he was shutting down late, scoring by half a length from the John Size trained Helios Express.

His ninth win from 11 starts, Ka Ying Rising has now won his last eight straight and jockey Zak Purton felt there was a lot more merit to the win than first meets the eye.

"Victor The Winner sitting ahead in front of me for the whole race, it just didn't allow my horse to relax or settle," Purton said.

"Had him fired up, he was using a lot of energy through the whole running of the race and that's obviously told a little bit at the end of his performance.

"But a normal horse can't absorb that and still perform at that level, so I think there's a lot more credit to his performance than it may look."

Hayes has trained a number of stars throughout his career (headed by Better Loosen Up), but Hayes said Ka Ying Rising could be the best and he hopes to bring him back home next year for the Everest.

"Hopefully we'll be doing it, and I'd better buy my spikes to get up there," Hayes said.

"But I think he's the current favourite, and he probably should be.

"I can't wait to bring a really good horse back home and try and win it."

Ka Ying Rising first began his career with his Hayes' sons in Victoria before being sold and transferred to the Ka Ying Syndicate.

The four-year-old's victory brought up Purton's fourth success in the Hong Kong Sprint having first won it with Aerovelocity in 2014 and 2016 and last year with Lucky Sweynesse.