The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has had its best ever end-of-racing-season finale, with a final 2023/24 turnover of some HKD28.8 billion (£2.8bn).
In a thrilling final day of superb horse racing, Francis Lui staged a magnificent comeback to claim the Hong Kong Trainers’ Championship for the first time, sealing victory with a quartet–and a win in the last race of the season–to deny his fellow trainer Pierre Ng by one, single, win.
“We want to position racing as a world-class entertainment and sporting event,” said HKJC Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
“We couldn’t have planned a better season finale than today when the on-course atmosphere and response from our 30,000 racing fans was amazing.
“We had the best-ever season finale,” he affirmed.
“There is no better proof of this than the thrilling contest this season between Francis Lui and Pierre Ng for the trainer’s title.”
Nevertheless, because of the “challenging economic situation, Engelbrecht-Bresges went on to describe the overall season racing turnover only as “satisfactory”.
“While the Club will continue to grow and expand its overseas customer base, the decline in local racing wagering turnover underlines that it must constantly engage and re-engage with Hong Kong racing fans,” he stressed.
World-class
“Our world-class racing is truly an international brand in Hong Kong,” continued the HKJC chief.
“I am deeply satisfied to see the joy and pride our champion horses, jockeys and trainers bring to racing fans not just in Hong Kong but around the world.
“These achievements are only possible because of the significant investment of our Owners.
“Collectively, they are a wonderful endorsement of our strategy to develop our racing to become world class. In addition, we have long-term strategies to attract the best racing talent from around the world, in combination with developing the best horses and the best home-grown talent.”
Added Engelbrecht-Bresges: “I am pleased to see the enormous progress made by Conghua Racecourse in just six-years since its opening.
The racecourse is set in mainland China in Guang Dong province, some 200kms (125-miles) north-west of Hong Kong.
“Not only is it providing [premier] training to Hong Kong horses, but it is fast developing into an equine hub for the Greater Bay Area in support of the nation’s equine industry development.
“Preparations for the successful staging of international standard racing from 2026 is our current focus. In parallel, we are stepping up the recruitment and development of racing talent through partnerships with [China] Mainland authorities.
“We have also acquired land for an equine transfer station, which will be equipped with international-standard quarantine facilities to [ease] the import and export of horses in the future.”
