Twelve sprinters face the daunting task of taking on world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising when he chases a 16th consecutive victory in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m).

Fresh from another dominant success in last Sunday’s Group Two Jockey Club Sprint (1,200m), the David Hayes-trained superstar will bid to join Mr Stunning, Lord Kanaloa, Silent Witness and Falvelon as back-to-back winners of the HK$28 million feature.

Ka Ying Rising bagged his first Group One success in the race last year, prevailing by half a length from Helios Express and Japan’s Satono Reve, who are both back for another crack next month.

Satono Reve is one of only three overseas raiders accepting the challenge, with the Noriyuki Hori-trained sprinter aiming to go one better than when second to Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) at Sha Tin in April.

Satono Reve followed that run with another second placing, this time behind Lazzat in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) at Royal Ascot, and a last-start fourth in the Group One Sprinters Stakes (1,200m) in Japan.

Evergreen eight-year-old Win Carnelian, an upset winner of the Sprinters Stakes, will also represent Japan in the Sprint.

The Yuichi Shikato-trained galloper defied barrier 16 and his $50 quote to score his first Group One triumph in the Sprinters Stakes, prevailing narrowly from June Blair.

British sprinter Khaadem, a two-time Group One winner at Royal Ascot, completes the international representation.

Despite getting on in age, the Charlie Hills-trained nine-year-old hasn’t lost any of his dash after winning the Group Two Woodford Stakes (1,100m) at Keeneland last month and running third to Shisospicy in the Group One Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (1,200m) at Del Mar last start.

Helios Express, who has placed behind Ka Ying Rising eight times, will once again lead the local charge and he is set to peak after a strong third in the Jockey Club Sprint.

Fast Network stamped his claims as one of Hong Kong’s top hopes behind Ka Ying Rising after finishing second in the Jockey Club Sprint. The Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained speedster won the Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) last month.

Lucky Sweynesse, the winner of the 2023 Hong Kong Sprint, Lucky With You, Beauty Waves, Raging Blizzard, Tomodachi Kokoroe, Wunderbar and Divano round out the Sprint field.

Wunderbar is the only horse to have beaten Ka Ying Rising, having dethroned the superstar in back-to-back Class Three races in January last year.