The launch of the Year of The Horse campaign marks the start of one of the most exciting chapters in the Club’s history as we celebrate the deep bond between horses and humans as well as the special role of the horse in Chinese culture and Hong Kong’s history.
The Year of the Horse is an especially auspicious year for the Club as we acknowledge the contribution of horses and horse racing during the 140-year history of horse racing in Hong Kong.
Racing not only symbolises Hong Kong’s ‘never give-up, can-do spirit’, the city’s resilience and the constant quest for excellence but also stands as a symbol of the city’s stability under One Country Two Systems.
Horse racing is Hong Kong’s favourite pastime and is globally recognised as world-class with its champion horses, trainers and jockeys and its impact goes far beyond sport with our integrated business model which allows the Club to make substantial economic and social contributions and fulfils the Club’s purpose of acting for the betterment of society.
We are delighted to have the support of entertainment legend Aaron Kwok, who has been appointed as our Year of the Horse ambassador and will participate in a range of community initiatives and events throughout the year and will also produce the official Year of the Horse theme song, demonstrating his love of horses and commitment to horse racing as an owner.
To mark the Year of the Horse, a host of outstanding events, race days, exhibitions, displays, tours, innovations and launches will feature across the next 12 months, starting with the LONGINES Hong Kong International Horse Show from 30 January.
February features the International Chinese New Year Parade and Float Display and a spectacular fireworks display over Victoria Harbour titled “Prosperity Gallops Across Hong Kong” to welcome the Year of the Horse as well as Year of the Horse Raceday.
These events set the tone for the remainder of the year which also features premium race days including the BMW Hong Kong Derby, FWD Champions Day and LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.
To further celebrate our connection with the horse, Sha Tin will host the “Harmonious Horse International Exhibition Tour”, while the “Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum” will be exhibited, while the “Divine Steeds: Horses in Painting and Calligraphy” exhibition will be another highlight.
We are also excited by the opening of Pony World in Penfold Park at Sha Tin, which will offer pony rides, stable visits and equine educational experience and in September, we will welcome the CAVALLUNA Horse Show, a world-class equestrian theatrical spectacle which blends story-telling, liberty dressage, trick riding, dance and aerial performances and LED artistry, among other entertaining aspects.
On 31 October, we will launch international standard racing at Conghua. This is a truly historic event with the start of world-class racing at our incredible Chinese Mainland facility. This milestone represents a significant advance in the development of racing and equestrian excellence for the Greater Bay Area, forging a dynamic, ongoing connection between Hong Kong and the Mainland, through the power of the horse.
Conghua is already a centre of excellence as a world-class training facility for more than 400 horses – including the world’s best sprinter KA YING RISING – and the launch of racing there will further advance our commitment to the National Equine Industry Development on the Chinese Mainland.
In December, we will stage the 2026 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), which we would like to dial up more as a pinnacle of The Year of the Horse celebrations to honour the contribution of horses in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland and across the world.
To this end, we are planning for LONGINES HKIR week to have an extended scope to become a racing carnival like many of the Formula 1 races.
More activities and details will be announced at a later stage, but I am immensely excited about the Year of the Horse and I welcome you to join us on a fabulous journey through the next 12 months.
At Sha Tin this Sunday (18 January), the Club will celebrate the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) athletes at the recent 15th National Games with a race day in their honour.
The HKSAR team delivered a historic performance, with the city’s best-ever results at a single National Games, winning nine gold, two silver and eight bronze medals across a variety of sports and it will be wonderful to have these amazing athletes as our guests at Sha Tin.
On Sunday, a cheque presentation ceremony for the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS) will also be held as recognition of the amazing performances of triple gold medal winning cyclist Lee Sze-wing, swimmer Siobhan Haughey, who secured two gold and two bronze medals, cycling gold medallist Leung Wing-yee, fencing gold medallists Cheung Ka-long and Choi Chun-yin, fencing bronze medallist Hsieh Sin-yan and swimming bronze medallist Mak Sai-ting, who will be among the distinguished Hong Kong athletes attending the event.
To mark the occasion, all 11 races at Sha Tin have been named in honour of the sports in which HKSAR athletes won medals at the National Games, namely Rugby sevens, triathlon, sailing, fencing, swimming, cycling and tennis, while one of the features is the Class 3 15th National Games Hong Kong Medallists Cup.
Gates will open at 10:30 am, allowing racegoers to arrive in time for the ceremony, which is scheduled for 11.20am.
The competitive highlight at Sha Tin is the Class 3 15th National Games Hong Kong Medallists Cup, which is carded as Race 3 and run over 1000m at 1.30pm with prizemoney of HK$1.86 million.
The pace will be good with THE UNIQUE STAR (Karis Teetan) and FUN N FUN TOGETHER (Derek Leung) likely to share the lead. CASA OF HONOR (Matthew Poon) and FAST RESPONDER (Andrea Atzeni) and WHIZZ KID (Harry Bentley) should also be prominent.
FAST RESPONDER has finished second over this course and distance at his last three starts and last start didn’t have clear running when runner-up to MAGNIFIQUE on 27 December. FAST RESPONDER is my win and place selection.
SIGHT HERMOSO (Brenton Avdulla) has won two of his four starts and was impressive in winning over this course and trip on 4 January. SIGHT HERMOSO is an emerging talent and is a place chance along with THE UNIQUE STAR, who is making his Hong Kong debut after winning three of four starts in Australia in sprints. He has had two trials in Hong Kong and can run well on debut.
CITY GOLD BANNER (Zac Purton) is also making his debut and he has had four trials, winning the last three. CITY GOLD BANNER is also a place chance.
The Class 3 Tennis Handicap is carded as Race 11 and will be run over 1600m at 5.50pm with prizemoney of HK$2.05 million. Four-year-olds have been given priority to run in this race and it has attracted a field of 14 with many of them trying to qualify to get into the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, especially the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February.
The pace will be good and KA YING ATTACK (Matthew Poon) should lead from gate 1. LOCH TAY (Richard Kingscote) will be prominent early along with STORMY GROVE (Harry Bentley) and KING LOTUS (Lyle Hewitson).
STORMY GROVE is backing up from an unlucky second to LUCKY SAM GOR over 1400m last Sunday, when he was being held up for a clear run at vital stages. STORMY GROVE is a win and place chance.
ENDUED (Maxime Guyon) is racing well and last start won over 1600m when he settled midfield and sprinted quickly when clear in the straight to beat HAPPY UNIVERSE. ENDUED rises in class but was impressive last start and is a place chance.
KA YING ATTACK, who steps up to 1600m for the first time, is also a place chance.
A horse to watch is PATCH OF COSMO, who was at his last start impressive winning over this course and distance but unfortunately suffered a tendon injury. He is the choice of Zac Purton and is a very talented horse but likely will need a run to get fit.
AERODYNAMICS (Andrea Atzeni), POPE CODY (James Orman), KING LOTUS and FORTUNE BOY (Karis Teetan) are all racing well and will be competitive.
I would like to extend my congratulations to Francis Lui for training his 1000th winner with SPEED DRAGON’S success in the G3 January Cup (1800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (14 January).
Francis prefers actions to words, and he retains a modesty at odds with an achievement which sees him join the titans of the Hong Kong training ranks as one of only six horsemen to reach the 1,000 mark – John Moore (1,735), John Size (1,629), Tony Cruz (1,583), Caspar Fownes (1,196) and Ricky Yiu (1,082).
At 66 and Hong Kong champion trainer in 2023/24, Francis continues to train at the peak of his powers and I look forward to his continued success.
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