The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) General Assembly, which was held this week in Hong Kong, China, was a resounding success with world-leading figures gathering to advance equestrian sport with key discussions on topics of global importance.
The FEI General Assembly governs the overall direction, development and management of FEI Sport worldwide and several topics were canvassed including Olympic and Paralympic Games qualification guidelines, medical protocols for riders, rules revision, and a pioneering digital passport for horses that aggregates identification, health, vaccination, and travel records in a single secure platform.
Reinforcing Hong Kong, China’s reputation as a global hub for horse sports, the assembly welcomed about 240 National Federation representatives, stakeholders and guests from over 70 countries and regions.
Apart from its world-class horse racing, Hong Kong, China has a rich equestrian sports heritage with three public riding schools, which we have run for the past 50 years, right up to support for our elite equestrian team in partnership with the Equestrian Federation of Hong Kong, China.
Additionally, the Club has provided expertise in co-hosting major equestrian events in both Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Club also supported the equestrian events of the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and provided technical support for the equestrian events of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Furthermore, the Club has committed more than HK$500 million to support the Hong Kong and Guangdong competition regions at this year’s 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG).
One of the highlights of this week’s FEI General Assembly was the official Welcome Reception at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday night (5 November) and it was a privilege to welcome FEI President Ingmar De Vos, Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez and so many distinguished guests, who enjoyed the world-class racing at our incredible city racecourse.
With the FEI General Assembly coming to a close at the Gala Dinner on Friday night (7 November), I would like to thank all guests for their attendance and the many Club team members for their tireless efforts in contributing to the success of events across the entire week.
With just over five weeks until the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (LONGINES HKIR) at Sha Tin on 14 December, the focus on our flagship meeting continues to intensify with a host of horses nominated for LONGINES HKIR competing in international Group 1 races over the next week.
Offering record prize money of HK$130 million, Hong Kong, China’s racing ‘Turf World Championships’ has attracted entries from some of the world’s best stables for four elite Group 1 races – the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Several key entrants have the opportunity to enhance their reputations this weekend at Champions Stakes Day at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia and Grosser Preis von Bayern Day at Munich Racecourse, Germany as part of our World Pool operation.
The first of seven races will be simulcast from Flemington at 10.50am on Saturday (8 November) with the first of the three Group 1 races – the G1 Champions Sprint (1200m) carded as S1-4 at 12.50pm. The pace is expected to be good.
Three-year-old colt TENTYRIS (Craig Williams) brilliantly won the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes over this course and distance on 1 November and is my win and place selection.
JOLIESTAR (James McDonald) finished fifth behind KA YING RISING in the G1 The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on 18 October and is unbeaten at this course and distance and is also a win and place chance.
GIGA KICK (Mark Zahra) is racing in wonderful form but is yet to win over 1200m at Flemington. He is a place chance along with TROPICUS (Damian Lane) and CABALLUS (Jason Collett).
The G1 Champions Mile (1600m) is carded as S1-5 and will be run at 1.30pm.
With PRIDE OF JENNI (Declan Bates) in the field, the pace will be strong. PRIDE OF JENNI easily won the G1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) against fillies and mares on 1 November and takes on the males again today.
She is a win and place selection along with old rival MR BRIGHTSIDE (Craig Williams), who excels over this course and distance with five wins and three placings from 11 starts.
CEOLWULF (Chad Schofield) is racing well and is one of the chances along with TREASURETHE MOMENT (Damian Lane), STEFI MAGNETICA (Jason Collett) and LAKE FOREST (Tom Marquand).
The G1 Champions Stakes (2000m) is carded as S1-6 and will be run at 2.10pm. The pace will be good.
The race features four LONGINES HKIR nominees – ALENQUER (Jamie Mott), ATTRITION (Craig Williams), KOVALICA (Damian Lane) and VIA SISTINA (James McDonald).
VIA SISTINA continues to dominate Australia’s middle-distance division and has 11 Group 1 wins and seven placings from 19 starts at the highest level. She fought hard to win the G1 W. S. Cox Plate (2040m) and will be better suited at Flemington where she easily won this race last year. She is my win and place selection.
TOM KITTEN (Ben Melham), LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (Declan Bates), KOVALICA, ATTRITION, PIER (Ethan Brown), GOLDEN PATH (Jordan Childs) and ZAMBARDO (Jamie Melham) have place claims.
The first of five races will be simulcast from Munich Racecourse at 8.35pm on Saturday with the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern carded as S2-4 and run over 2400m at 10.40pm.
JUNKO (Maxime Guyon) and COLD HEART (Leon Wolff) are both nominated for LONGINES HKIR.
The pace is expected to be good to slow and the conditions are currently soft.
CONVERGENT (William Buick) ran second in the German Derby (2400m) and has since won two Group races, including the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris (2200m), defeating DUBAI HONOUR. He handles rain-affected conditions and he is my win and place selection.
JUNKO (Maxime Guyon), winner of the 2023 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin, is always a threat at this level, while TIFFANY (Luke Morris), BAY CITY ROLLER (Adrie de Vries), RASHFORD (Jack Mitchell) and LAZIO (Martin Siedl) all have chances.
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