Hong Kong Domestic Prize Money Surges by 8%


Hong Kong’s domestic racing prize money will rise by 8% for the 2023/24 season, featuring increases across every class of competition – from Griffins to Class 1 and the Four-Year-Old Classic Series – with an additional HK$94 million (approx. £9.6 million) on offer.

Including bonuses, Hong Kong’s domestic prize money will grow next season to HK$1.38 billion (approx. £141 million) – a figure which does not include prize money for Hong Kong’s Group 1 races, including the seven elite contests featured at LONGINES Hong Kong International Races and FWD Champions Day, and Group 2 and Group 3 races.

Details of the final 2023/24 prize money structure, including Group racing, will be announced by The Hong Kong Jockey Club in the coming days.

Adding to the Club’s decision to boost PP (Privately Purchased) Bonuses for both Class 2 and Class 3 horses from HK$1 million to HK$1.5 million (approx. £150,000) for next season, prize money for Griffins rises 8% to HK$950,000 (approx. £97,000) a race, while Class 1 races at 1600m or further will be worth HK$4.075 million (approx. £417,000), a gain of 7.2%.

The BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) will be worth HK$26 million (approx. £2.7 million), an increase of HK$2 million, while the two other legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) – will each carry HK$13 million (approx. £1.3 million), an extra HK$1 million per race.

Four-Year-Old Classic Series Distance

(metres)

2021/22

(HK$)

2022/23

(HK$)

  2023/24

(HK$)

 

Increase

(HK$)

% Increase
Hong Kong Derby 2000 $24M $24M $26M $2M 8.3%
Hong Kong Classic Cup 1800 $12M $12M $13M $1M 8.3%
Hong Kong Classic Mile 1600 $12M $12M $13M $1M 8.3%

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club said, “The BMW Hong Kong Derby is revered in Hong Kong as the race every Owner wants to win and considerable financial resources are often outlaid to secure high-quality horses to try and run in and win the Classic.

“The BMW Hong Kong Derby and Four-Year-Old Classic Series prize money increases are part of our continuing commitment to providing an attractive prize money and bonus structure to Owners who invest in top quality Derby contenders, many of which go on to develop as Hong Kong’s best performers.

“More broadly, with the enhanced prize money at every level of Hong Kong racing – from Griffins to Class 1 – next season, we are continuing to deliver on our commitment to support our Owners who are the bedrock of Hong Kong’s world-class racing.

“We recognise that our Owners face strong competition in traditional markets for the supply of horses to Hong Kong and believe that these enhancements for next season will provide our Owners substantial support proportionate with their investments.”

The prize money schedule for next season means Hong Kong’s prize money pool has grown by nearly 100% over the past 10 years.

Class 2021/22 value (HK$) 2022/23 value (HK$) 2023/24 value (HK$) Increase (HK$) % Increase
1 3,150,000 3,465,000 3,720,000 255,000 7.4%
1600+ 3,150,000 3,800,000 4,075,000 275,000 7.2%
2 2,400,000 2,640,000 2,840,000 200,000 7.6%
1600+ 2,400,000 2,900,000 3,120,000 220,000 7.6%
3 1,570,000 1,725,000 1,860,000 135,000 7.8%
1600+ 1,570,000 1,900,000 2,050,000 150,000 7.9%
4 1,040,000 1,080,000 1,170,000 90,000 8.3%
5 780,000 810,000 875,000 65,000 8.0%
Griffins 850,000 880,000 950,000 70,000 8.0%

Featuring among the many highlights of the 2023/24 prize money structure, races at 1600m and further at Class 1 to Class 3 next season will again carry a 10% premium in prize money than contests over shorter distances, while the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge series rises by HK$500,000 to HK$1.5 million with HK$1 million for the winning horse, HK$350,000 for second place and HK$150,000 for third.

Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing at The Hong Kong Jockey Club said, “Before the 2022/23 season, we had a complete review of our prize money and incentive structure and decided then to make continuous investments in the future which has resulted once more in the significant increases in prize money and additional incentives in the bonus system announced this week.

“These increases complement our capital investment in the state-of-the-art training facilities at Conghua Racecourse, the soon-to be-commenced major refurbishment of the training facilities at Sha Tin and our ongoing investment in the on-course racing experience.  We have one goal, which is to provide Hong Kong’s Owners with a value proposition for racehorse ownership that is unequalled anywhere in the world.”

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