A list of notable flat horse races which take place annually in Hong Kong, under the authority of Hong Kong Jockey Club, including all conditions races which currently hold Group 1, 2 or 3 status. [1] [2]
Month | Race Name | Racecourse | Dist. (m) | Age/Sex |
---|---|---|---|---|
January | Stewards' Cup | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
January | Centenary Sprint Cup | Sha Tin | 1,200 | 3yo+ |
February | Hong Kong Gold Cup | Sha Tin | 2,000 | 3yo+ |
February | Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup | Sha Tin | 1,400 | 3yo+ |
April | Queen Elizabeth II Cup | Sha Tin | 2,000 | 3yo+ |
April | Champions Mile | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
April | Chairman's Sprint Prize | Sha Tin | 1,200 | 3yo+ |
May | Champions & Chater Cup | Sha Tin | 2,400 | 3yo+ |
December | Hong Kong Sprint | Sha Tin | 1,200 | 3yo+ |
December | Hong Kong Mile | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
December | Hong Kong Vase | Sha Tin | 2,400 | 3yo+ |
December | Hong Kong Cup | Sha Tin | 2,000 | 3yo+ |
Month | Race Name | Racecourse | Dist. (m) | Age/Sex |
---|---|---|---|---|
April | Sprint Cup | Sha Tin | 1,200 | 3yo+ |
April | Chairman's Trophy | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
October | Premier Bowl | Sha Tin | 1,200 | 3yo+ |
October | Sha Tin Trophy | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
November | Jockey Club Cup | Sha Tin | 2,000 | 3yo+ |
November | Jockey Club Mile | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
November | Jockey Club Sprint | Sha Tin | 1,200 | 3yo+ |
Month | Race Name | Racecourse | Dist. (m) | Age/Sex |
---|---|---|---|---|
January | Chinese Club Challenge Cup | Sha Tin | 1,400 | 3yo+ |
January | Bauhinia Sprint Trophy | Sha Tin | 1,000 | 3yo+ |
January | January Cup | Happy Valley | 1,800 | 3yo+ |
February | Centenary Vase | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
May | Queen Mother Memorial Cup | Sha Tin | 2,400 | 3yo+ |
May | Sha Tin Vase | Sha Tin | 1,200 | 3yo+ |
June | Lion Rock Trophy | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 3yo+ |
June | Premier Cup | Sha Tin | 1,400 | 3yo+ |
June | Premier Plate | Sha Tin | 1,800 | 3yo+ |
October | National Day Cup | Sha Tin | 1,000 | 3yo+ |
October | Celebration Cup | Sha Tin | 1,400 | 3yo+ |
November | Ladies' Purse | Sha Tin | 1,800 | 3yo+ |
Month | Race Name | Racecourse | Dist. (m) | Age/Sex |
---|---|---|---|---|
January | Hong Kong Classic Mile | Sha Tin | 1,600 | 4yo |
February | Hong Kong Classic Cup | Sha Tin | 1,800 | 4yo |
March | Hong Kong Derby | Sha Tin | 2,000 | 4yo |
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic premise – to identify which of two or more horses is the fastest over a set course or distance – has been mostly unchanged since at least classical antiquity.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) was founded in 1884 and is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong. In 1960, it was granted a royal charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (英皇御准香港賽馬會). The institution reverted to its original name in 1996 due to the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Membership of the club is by nomination and election.
The Happy Valley Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing and is a tourist attraction in Hong Kong. It is located in Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island, surrounded by Wong Nai Chung Road and Morrison Hill Road. The capacity of the venue is 55,000.
Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The Hong Kong Vase is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December.
The Hong Kong Sprint is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December.
The Hong Kong Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December.
The Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December.
Anthony Stephen da Cruz is a prominent horse trainer and former Champion Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.
The Stewards' Cup is a Hong Kong Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the latter part of January at Sha Tin Racecourse. A Group One race that offers a purse of HK$12,000,000, it is run on turf over a distance of 1600 meters and is open to horses three years of age and older. The first leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown, it is followed by the Hong Kong Gold Cup in February. and the Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup in late May/early June.
The Gambling Ordinance was enacted in 1977 to regulate gambling in Hong Kong. People are allowed gamble for leisure and entertainment within these regulations at a limited number of authorized outlets. Social gambling is still allowed.
Douglas Whyte is a former horse racing jockey and is now a horse trainer. He became Hong Kong champion jockey in the 2000-2001 season and won 13 consecutive titles, a record in flat racing. In 2013-14, he relinquished that title to Zac Purton, finishing third with 88 wins to give him an accumulated total of more than 1,600 races in Hong Kong with career stake earnings of more than $HK 1.3 billion.
Zac Purton is an Australian jockey who lives in Hong Kong.
Ambitious Dragon is a New Zealand-bred, Hong Kong based Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which began in 2010 he has won eleven races at Sha Tin Racecourse including the Hong Kong Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup, Hong Kong Derby, Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Hong Kong Stewards' Cup and the Hong Kong Gold Cup. Ambitious Dragon was voted Hong Kong Horse of the Year for the 2010-2011 and 2011–2012 seasons.
The Jockey Club Sprint is a Group 2 set weights Thoroughbred horse race in Hong Kong, run over 1200 metres. In the 2003/2004 racing season, this race was upgraded to a domestic Group 2 event. The race was promoted to International Group 2 status in 2010. The prize money in season 2011/12 is HK$3,000,000, which was increased to HK$3,875,000 in season 2014/15.
The Jockey Club Mile is a Group 2 set weights Thoroughbred horse race in Hong Kong, run at Sha Tin over 1600 metres in November.
The Centenary Sprint Cup is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race over a distance of 1200 metres at Sha Tin in January. It was originally known as the Centenary Cup, which was first run on 24 November 1984 to celebrate the centenary of The Hong Kong Jockey Club. It offers a purse of HK$10,000,000.
The Hong Kong Classic Mile is a domestic Group 1 four year old set weights Thoroughbred horse race in Hong Kong, run over a distance of 1600 metres. It was originally a Group 3 race and was the traditional lead-up race for the Hong Kong Derby. In the season of 1999/2000, this race was upgraded to domestic Group 1 status. Now, it is the first of the three major races for the Hong Kong classic generation.
The Hong Kong Classic Cup is a Thoroughbred set weights horse race in Hong Kong for four year olds, run over a distance of 1800 metres. The first three finishers in this race have priority to run in the Hong Kong Derby, which is the most prestigious race on the domestic racing calendar. The race was known as the Hong Kong Derby Trial until 2010.
The Jockey Club Cup (Hong Kong) is a set weights Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race in Hong Kong, run at Sha Tin over a distance of 2000 metres in November.