Hong Kong
History
Racing in Hong Kong was introduced by early British settlers, although the exact date is unknown. We do know that in December 1846, the China Mail, Hong Kong's first newspaper, carried an announcement of two race meetings to be held that month.
The site of the present Happy Valley racecourse was originally a swamp where, because it was the only flat land on the island, the first settlers lived. However, malaria and other diseases soon forced them to move out. In the mid-1840s, the marshland was drained and the residents set up a racecourse in the area called 'Happy Valley'. Initially, there was only one race meeting a year, usually at Chinese New Year.
In 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) was founded to improve racing. It organized all racing activities, although betting continued to be operated by private clubs with the Jockey Club receiving a commission.
From its first foundation the Jockey Club embarked on a period of expansion which has continued to the present day and which is still happening. In 1892, the early bamboo Members' Stands were replaced by a more substantial structure. In 1904, expansion of racing activities required the employment of the first Club Secretary; and in 1907, a Club office was set up in Central District.
On 26 February 1918, the public stands collapsed and then caught fire; more than 600 people died. In 1931, two three-storey permanent stands were constructed.
In 1957, these were replaced by two seven-storey buildings which were expanded in 1969 to become part of today's viewing stands.
In March 1971, the club switched from amateur riders to professional jockeys to improve the quality of racing and exercise stricter control. That led to jockeys from around the world being able to ride in Hong Kong.
Night racing started in 1973, the same year the Government authorized the Club to set up off-course betting branches to help combat illegal bookmaking. The following year, a telephone betting service was started.
In 1978, the second racecourse at Sha Tin in the New Territories was opened. In 1981, another public stand was added in Happy Valley. A second public stand, opened in 1985, increased the Sha Tin capacity to 70,000.
The Club celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1984.
In 1988 the first Hong Kong International Race Meeting was held at Sha Tin.
The Club has always been a non-profit making organization; surplus funds are given to charitable and community projects. In 1959, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (Charities) Limited was formed to distribute donations. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, formed in 1993, took over this responsibility.
In 1995, the Happy Valley Racecourse was redeveloped and upgraded to an all grass racecourse with world class facilities.
Within 4 years from 1999 to 2002, five international invitation races were upgraded to Group 1 events. The Hong Kong Cup was the first to be Group 1 in 1999. Then come to Hong Kong Mile and Hong Kong Vase in 2000, Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2001 and Hong Kong Sprint in 2002.
In 2004 November, the first country in the world with a retractable paddock roof opened at the Sha Tin Racecourse.
The Champion Mile, 3rd Leg of Asian Mile Challenge, was being staged as Group 1 race in 2007 and had the distinction of being the first official qualifying race outside the United States for Breeders Cup World Championships.
In 2008, as co-hosting city of the historic Beijing 2008 Olympics equestrian events, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has contributed some US$154 Million to creating world-class equestrian venues and providing its professional expertise to the events. The Club’s support has truly made Hong Kong The Equine Capital.
In 2009, the Club was the Principal Contributor to the 5th East Asian Games, the first international multi-sports event ever hosted by Hong Kong. The Club’s HK$50 million contribution included HK$10 million from the proceeds of the HKJC 125th Anniversary Sweepstakes, which attracted huge public interests and excitements.
Name of Racing Authority: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Postal Address: One Sports Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2966 8111 Fax: (852) 2577 9036
Email: hotline@hkjc.org.hk
Web Site: www.hkjc.com
Chairman: Mr T Brian Stevenson SBS JP
Stewards:
Mr T Brian Stevenson SBS JP (Chairman)
Dr Simon S O Ip CBE JP (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Anthony W K Chow SBS JP
Mr Christopher Cheng Wai Chee GBS JP
Dr Donald K T Li JP
Mr Lester C H Kwok JP
Mr Michael T H Lee
Mr Philip N L Chen SBS JP
Mr Stephen Ip Shu Kwan GBS JP
Mr Iain F Bruce
Dr Rita Fan Hsu Lai Tai GBM GBS JP
Dr Eric Li Ka Cheung GBS OBE JP
Board of Management:
Chief Executive Officer: Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges
Executive Director, Racing: Mr William A Nader
Executive Director, Betting: Mr Henry S K Chan
Executive Director, Finance: Mr Paulus S Lee
Executive Director, Membership Services: Mr Billy K C Chen
Executive Director, Corporate Affairs: Mr Kim K W Mak
Executive Director, Information Technology: Mr Sunny W K Lee
Executive Director, Charities / General Counsel: Mr Douglas So
Executive Director, Marketing and Customer Management: Mr Richard Cheung
Contact for Overseas Liaison / Information: Mr William A Nader (Executive Director, Racing)
Statistical:
| Racing Season | 13 September 09 To 14 July 10 |
|---|---|
| Number of Racecourses | 2 |
| Number of Fixtures | Flat 83 |
| Number of Races | Flat 767 |
| Number of Runners | Flat 9,736 |
| Number of Horses in Training | 1,535 |
| Number of Trainers | 24 |
| Number of Jockeys | 30 |
| Number of Owners | 2,302 |
Principal Races
| Name | Classification | Date | PrizeMoney(HK$) | Racecourse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Cup | Int'l Gp 2 | 14/11/10 | 3,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 2.Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Mile | Int'l Gp 2 | 21/11/10 | 3,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 3.Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Sprint | Int'l Gp 2 | 21/11/10 | 3,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 4.Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup | Int'l Gp 1 | 12/12/10 | 20,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 5.Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile | Int'l Gp 1 | 12/12/10 | 16,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 6.Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase | Int'l Gp 1 | 12/12/10 | 14,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 7.Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint | Int'l Gp 1 | 12/12/10 | 14000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 8.Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup | Gp 1 | 16/01/11 | 4,500,000 | Sha Tin |
| 9.Mercedes-Benz HK Classic Mile | Gp 1 | 23/01/11 | 6,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 10.Stewards ' Cup | Gp 1 | 30/01/11 | 8,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 11.Chairman's Sprint Prize | Gp 1 | 05/02/11 | 4,500,000 | Sha Tin |
| 12.Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Cup | Gp 1 | 20/02/11 | 6,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 13.Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup | Gp 1 | 27/02/11 | 8,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 14.Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup | Gp 1 | 06/03/11 | 6,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 15.Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby | Gp 1 | 20/03/10 | 16,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 16.Audemars Piguet QE II Cup | Int'l Gp 1 | 01/05/11 | 14,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 17.Champions Mile | Int'l Gp 1 | 01/05/11 | 12,000,000 | Sha Tin |
| 18.Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup | Gp 1 | 29/05/11 | 8,000,000 | Sha Tin |
Financial
Total Prizemoney (Local Currency - HK Dollar)
HK$782 million - Provided by Racing Authorities
Average Prizemoney Per Race (Total) HK$1,020,000
Exchange Rate to US$: US$1 = HK$7.755
| Betting | Totalizator | Yes | Off Course | Yes |
| Bookmakers | No | Off Course | No |
Total Betting Turnover / Year HK$75,497 million
On Course & X Bet HK $6,071 million
Others (Off Course Betting, Telebet, IS and MJC) HK $69,426 million
Principal Bet Types: Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place, Double, Triple Trio, Double Trio, Six Up, Treble, Tierce, Trio, First Four
Report on Racing Activities
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club provides horse racing, betting and racing related entertainment to over one million Hong Kong racing fans. It operates the world famous not-for-profit business model and donates all surpluses to charity and community projects. In 2009/10 the Club donated $US196 million to 104 charities/ organizations. It is thus not only Hong Kong's main provider of sporting entertainment, but also the largest source of charitable funding. The Club is also an important source of Government revenue, paying $US 1.78 billion in betting duty in 2009/10. In all these ways, horse racing and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, play an important part in the life of the Hong Kong community.
Going international. The last decade has seen Hong Kong racing adopt a more international profile. Renowned trainers and jockeys have become fixtures on the local racing scene. Hong Kong horses have started to become internationally competitive and venture overseas to race. Hong Kong also plays host to two important international events; the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races in December and the Audemars Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Champions Mile in April. The Hong Kong International Races are now generally recognized to be the most international event in the racing world and the main meeting point for northern and southern hemisphere thoroughbreds.
Proactive charity support. The Club continues to provide a broad range of support for Hong Kong's community needs, donating an average of $US170 million to over 100 different charity and community projects each year in four sectors - medical and health; education and training; sports, recreation and culture; and community services. A particular focus has been support for pilot projects - helping to push out the boundaries of health, welfare and education in Hong Kong.
Meeting customer expectations. The Club has been putting a renewed emphasis on customer satisfaction. The racing product has been revamped to appeal to a broader range of customers, and a start made on upgrading racecourse facilities to meet the demands of the next generation of racegoers. The Club continues to invest in the latest technology to provide enhanced racing information and betting services.
Racing ahead. The ultimate objective of these efforts is to provide Hong Kong racing fans with top class, international standard racing entertainment, and facilities and services that meet the highest standards of customer satisfaction. By achieving this, the Club will be able to guarantee its support for Government and charity. This is the vision for Hong Kong racing in 2010s.
Racecourses. Racing takes place most weekends and Wednesdays between early September and early July. In the 2010/11 season, 83 race meetings are scheduled. The tight city track at Happy Valley is the venue for the popular Wednesday night races, while Sha Tin sees most weekend day races. Sha Tin is also the home of top domestic group races and of all international events.
Horses. The current horse population is around 1,535. With Hong Kong's urban environment making breeding impossible, the population is sustained by the importation of 400-450 horses per year. Retired racehorses are usually re-schooled for leisure riding at Club sponsored riding schools, or found new homes in mainland China or overseas.
About ten veterinary surgeons monitor and look after the welfare of all horses in Hong Kong. This includes all horses in training, plus those who have been retired and either sent to the Club's four riding schools in the territory or shipped to other parts of China for equestrian sports. A modern, well-equipped equine hospital and clinical laboratory are located next to the stables at the Sha Tin Racecourse.
Betting & technology. The Club operates pari-mutuel betting at both racecourses, and 105 off-course betting branches, through telephone betting and through Customer Input Terminals (CIT). There are currently over 1 million telephone betting and CIT account holders. The Club is a leading developer of betting technology. Latest products include Hong Kong's first 'smartcard', the Electronic Shroff Card (ESC) for the secure storage of cash, and the wireless Customer Input Terminal used in conjunction with a mobile phone.
- Members Club. The Club is also a private members club providing dining and recreation amenities in three clubhouses, as well as dedicated racing facilities in the Members stands at the racecourses. All of these facilities are funded directly from Members' subscriptions and fees. Membership currently stands at 27,294.
- Public Lottery. The Club manages and operates a 'six out of 49' lottery for the Hong Kong Lottery Board. The Club charges 6% commission for its operating costs and derives no profit from its operation. 15% of sales proceeds are allocated to the lottery fund, which in turn allocates money to social welfare projects.
Employees. The Club is one of Hong Kong's largest employers with a full-time staff of 5,310 and part-time staff of 20,981. These work in front-line roles such as betting, racing and catering, as well as providing vital 'back of house' support in finance, human resources, security and technology development.