The season finale at Happy Valley just over a week ago (16 July) was one of the best-ever editions of Happy Wednesday. The iconic racecourse is a magical place under the lights, and coupled with the incredible drama of the night’s racing, the spectacular entertainment on show and the vibrant crowd, it all came together to provide an extraordinary night for everyone in attendance.
It was the culmination of a fantastic season, with some quite phenomenal performances from our leading horses, jockeys and trainers. But it was also a fitting end to an exceptional season in terms of promoting Hong Kong racing as a world-class sport and entertainment brand.
The exciting action on the track has been complemented throughout the season by a glittering array of performers, first-rate food and beverage options and vibrant theme nights.
Our push to make Hong Kong racing a world-class entertainment experience took a massive stride forward when we announced our groundbreaking partnership with Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment. The partnership will see a homegrown talent join global pop group Now United ahead of the group performing live at major race meetings next season.
With memories still vivid from the magnificent season finale, we have announced our racing fixtures for the 2025/26 season, starting with the opening-day meeting on 7 September. We look forward to another exciting chapter of world-class racing.
While our horses, trainers and jockeys are taking a well-earned break to refresh, our staff are working hard on our tracks, facilities and amenities to ensure all will be ready for a spectacular season-opening at Sha Tin.
In the meantime, we will continue to showcase the very best of international racing with our simulcast programme, starting with Saturday’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes meeting at Ascot (26 July) on a weekend when we will also simulcast top-quality meetings from York in Great Britain, Greyville in South Africa and Munich in Germany.
Our strategic partnership with leading clubs through World Pool has created global racing wagering events, and the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which is run over 2392m, is always a highlight.
The King George has always been a stallion-making race, and this year’s renewal has assembled some of the world’s best stayers, reinforcing the prestige of winning the contest.
Our coverage of the Ascot showpiece meeting starts at 8.10pm with the first of eight races. The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes is carded as S1-6 and will be run at 11.10pm.
The race has attracted five starters – all of whom are individual Group 1 winners – boasting a combined tally of 12 Group 1 wins.
Aidan O’Brien, who has won the race four times, will be represented by two runners – JAN BRUEGHEL and CONTINUOUS – with Ryan Moore taking the mount on JAN BRUEGHEL.
Standing in the way of another Ballydoyle triumph is brilliant French galloper CALANDAGAN (Mickael Barzalona), who broke through at Group 1 level with victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2400m) at Saint-Cloud and is bidding to give trainer Francis-Henri Graffard successive King George victories following Goliath’s surprise win last season. CALANDAGAN is a win and place chance.
JAN BRUEGHEL beat CALANDAGAN in the G1 Coronation Cup (2405m) at Epsom last month and is an elite stayer with five wins and a second from only six starts. He is also a win and place chance.
KALPANA (Oisin Murphy) is a top-class filly who easily won the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2321m) at Ascot last year and will improve from two runs at The Curragh. She is a place chance, along with the remarkable REBEL’S ROMANCE (William Buick).
We will also simulcast the first of two races from York on Saturday from 9pm, before Champions Day from Greyville Racecourse in Durban on Sunday (27 July), with the first of 10 races due to start at 6.15pm.
Hong Kong has a long and abiding connection with South African horsemen, including Douglas Whyte, Felix Coetzee, Basil Marcus, Tony Millard and David Ferraris.
We currently have three South African jockeys – Luke Ferraris, Lyle Hewitson and Keagan de Melo – and trainer Brett Crawford, who is preparing for his first season in Hong Kong. I wish Keagan all the best on Champions Day.
He has rides in three of the four feature races starting with the G1 Douglas Whyte Stakes, which is carded as S3-4 and is run over 1600m at 8.35pm. Keagan rides ONE FINE WINTER for Sean Parry, and the filly is expected to run well after two wins and three placings from five starts.
The G1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes is carded as S3-5 and is run over 1600m at 9.15pm.
Keagan partners ASIYE PHAMBILI for Duncan Howells in the G1 Mercury Sprint, which is carded as S3-6 and is run over 1200m at 9.55pm.
The G1 HKJC Champions Cup is the highlight of the meeting. It is carded as S3-8 and is run over 1800m at 11.15pm. Keagan rides SEE IT AGAIN for Mike Roberts, but the main two chances appear to be DAVE THE KING (Callan Murray) and THE REAL PRINCE (Craig Zackey).
ROYAL VICTORY (Piere Strydom) and MONTIEN (Tristan Godden) each represent good place chances.
The G1 Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen is one of Germany’s most important races, and this year’s race, carded as S4-2 and run at 8.10pm, has attracted 11 runners with contenders from France, England and Germany.
The going is currently good.
Gerald Mosse, who enjoyed a great career in Hong Kong as a jockey, has his first Group 1 runner as a trainer with GRAND STARS (Alexis Pouchin). She is expected to run well after finishing second over 2000m last start to GOLIATH.
Saeed bin Suroor is represented by TORNADO ALERT (Oisin Murphy), who has raced well all season with a fourth in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket before a good sixth in the Epsom Derby. Last start, he finished second to TRINITY COLLEGE in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes (1993m), and he is a win and place chance.
MAP OF STARS (James Doyle), CALIF (Adrie de Vries) and PERSICA (Sean Levey) are also expected to run well.
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