Latest news with #HongKongJockeyClub
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Top Flat jockey on track for eighth century of winners takes up lucrative Hong Kong offer
Welshman David Probert, who regularly rides 1,000 horses a year, will move to the Far East in August where they only race twice a week One of Britain's busiest jockeys is cutting short his season to take up a lucrative offer to ride in Hong Kong. Welshman David Probert, 36, who regularly rides nearly 1,000 horses a year, is on track to reach a century of winners in a year for the eighth time in his career. Nine days ago he recorded his biggest success of 2025 when steering Royal Ascot winner Never So Brave to victory in the Group 2 Summer Mile, his 21st Group winner. Yet he accepts that when the exciting Andew Balding-trained four-year-old has his next start the mount is likely to return to Oisin Murphy, if he's available. So when the Hong Kong Jockey Club offered him the chance to join a growing colony of riders of ex-British based riders in the Far East, he accepted. The jockey from Bargoed in South Wales's Rhymney Valley, who has ridden 1,681 winners, will arrive with Derby winner Richard Kingscote to compete with the already established Harry Bentley and Andrea Atzeni for the first half of the season from September to February. 'I've always been consistent, riding 100 winners especially in the last six seasons, and I've probably been one of the busiest jockeys about, riding nearly 1,000 horses a year,' he told Mirror Racing. 'It's really difficult to compete with the top five jockeys in the country. The opportunities to have your chance in a Classic or a domestic Group 1 are few and far between. I've been riding for 20 years and to build my hopes up on gaining that Group 1 horse I could be waiting another five or ten years. 'For me as a rider I feel it would be beneficial to go to Hong Kong, open new horizons, new doors and challenge myself. The racing is very competitive, they have good prize-money. They only race twice a week but still the chances you get and the rewards are so much more beneficial.' Probert has made the most of his limited starts in Classic to finish second in the Derby and second in the 2,000 Guineas. He went on: 'To ride a favourite in a Guineas you need to be in the right place at the right time, have a retained job or be riding first jockey for a big trainer. Even though the majority of my rides are from Andrew, we have Oisin riding at the top of his game. A lot of our owners have their own jockey. 'I ride for a lot of different owners and trainers who have supported me massively and I enjoy riding for. This is about nothing more than me wanting to better myself as a jockey. 'I know it's going to be very difficult to start with because in Hong Kong they don't value you on your past success, they go by face value. 'I know I will have to build bridges, sell myself, book my own rides. It's an opportunity to better myself as a jockey and a person. 'I am really looking forward to it. I am always willingl to learn and if you want to learn more about international racing, Hong Kong is the best place to go.'
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Rebranding of horse racing is bearing fruit
Hong Kong's horse racing season has ended on a high, with a capacity 20,000 crowd enjoying a party atmosphere at Happy Valley last week. The season has been successful. Wagering turnover bounced back from last season's decline to increase 3 per cent to almost HK$139 billion. But the bigger achievement lies in the rebranding of racing, to make it about more than just betting on the races. The aim is to provide world-class sport and entertainment, attracting tourists and a younger crowd. The transformation is bearing fruit. Among the 1.7 million who attended last season were nearly 200,000 mainland tourists, more than double the number for the previous season. The Hong Kong Jockey Club has responded well to the call by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu for horse racing to be one of the unique Hong Kong experiences appealing to visitors. Race days now feature live music, DJs and a focus on food and drink. The aim is to offer a 'cool' experience to complement the sporting action. This is drawing a new generation of young fans. Some of them, encouragingly, don't even bet. The club, which has a monopoly on legal gambling in Hong Kong and pumps billions into charitable causes, is establishing itself as a global sports and entertainment brand. It has teamed up with American Idol creator Simon Fuller. One of his bands is to play at the races. Racing, though, remains at the heart of the events. Hong Kong hailed three champion horses – Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble – last season. The introduction of lawful gambling on basketball will boost the club's revenue as well as the government's coffers and is intended to draw money away from illicit bookmakers. The club's Conghua racecourse in Guangzhou, meanwhile, provided more winners than before and will start staging races next year. Amid all the excitement, the risk of gambling leading to addiction, with serious social consequences, must not be forgotten. More must be done to prevent problem gambling and to help addicts. Horse racing has long been an iconic Hong Kong event which has flourished under the 'one country, two systems' concept. China's former paramount leader Deng Xiaoping famously said horse racing would continue after the 1997 handover. As the club adapts to changing times, the sport is set to become an even bigger winner.
RTHK
5 days ago
- Business
- RTHK
Club races back to growth as turnover nears HK$140bn
Club races back to growth as turnover nears HK$140bn The city's gaming operator says it welcomed more than 1.7 million people to racecourses in the 2024-25 season. Photo: Hong Kong Jockey Club Betting turnover for races has risen by 3 percent to nearly HK$140 billion over the latest horse racing season that concluded on Wednesday, with the city's gaming operator calling the increase "a very encouraging return to growth". The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which announced the results on Thursday, also said it welcomed more than 1.7 million people to its racecourses, up more than 13 percent from 2023-24. Among those turning up at the racecourses were a record 195,700 tourists from the mainland. "It has been a real pleasure to welcome so many tourists from overseas and the mainland to our racecourses and to see how much they appreciate the unique quality of our racecourse experience, which is truly like no other," said chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. "Next season there will be even more to impress them, including an entirely new arrival experience at Sha Tin Racecourse." Racing turnover was more than HK$138.8 billion, representing a 3 percent increase. "This is a very encouraging return to growth after the 4.5 percent decline last season, and reflects the success of strategies introduced last year," the club said, attributing the rise to factors such as rising mainland and international sports tourism. The 847 Hong Kong races held across 88 meetings attracted HK$125.7 billion in turnover, while over HK$13.1 billion was wagered in 393 overseas simulcast races. The betting income from local customers, however, dropped 0.7 percent. Betting duties for the latest season came in at HK$12.8 billion, down 0.8 percent.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Jockey Club boss Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges hails ‘amazing season' after turnover increase
Improved field sizes, increased tourism and the continued strides made in globalising Hong Kong racing have contributed to a three per cent increase in racing wagering turnover for the 2024-25 season, says the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Punters wagered a total of HK$138.85 billion during the campaign, with a 3 per cent increase returning the city to the black in terms of turnover figures after a 4.5 per cent decrease last season that ended a run of three consecutive seasons of record turnover. Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges highlighted the contribution to an uptick in mainland and overseas tourists made to a big year for Hong Kong racing, also pointing to the impact of Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble's heroics during the season. 'It's been an amazing season, with outstanding performances by top horses that have truly captured the imagination of fans not just in Hong Kong but around the world,' said Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'Since the policy address of HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee [Ka-chiu], we have been able to attract even more mainland and overseas tourists, who have come to our racecourses in record numbers to experience our city's signature sport. 'These achievements strengthen the position of Hong Kong racing as a world-class sport and entertainment experience.' Strong commingling turnover was another factor in renewed wagering growth, with a record commingling turnover of HK$31.76 billion – a 10.1 per cent increase on last season. A notable highlight came at the Chinese New Year Raceday in January, with commingling turnover increasing by 23.7 per cent to HK$510.4 million, setting a record in the process and surpassing HK$500 million for the first time. Simulcast racing was another boon, with turnover on simulcasting (including World Pool commingling) up by 2.3 per cent to HK$13.11 billion. The maximum number of simulcast days will be increased from 37 to 53 in 2025-26 and to 70 in 2026-27. Romantic Warrior flew the flag for Hong Kong racing on the international stage, winning the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) at Meydan, while also finishing a close second in both the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) and the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m). At home, Ka Ying Rising's invincible season saw him land the Hong Kong Speed Series bonus of HK$5 million along with four Group Ones, while Voyage Bubble became the first horse since River Verdon to win the Triple Crown. 'Hong Kong racing is truly world class and I am immensely proud of the performances of our champion horses, jockeys and trainers,' said Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'The achievements of amazing horses such as Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble reflect the expertise, dedication and passion of our trainers and jockeys as well as the strong commitment of our owners, who continue to make significant investments to secure the best available equine talent.' The success of Conghua racecourse has also been hailed by Engelbrecht-Bresges, with an increase of 17.7 per cent in horses stabled at the track and a 24.3 per cent increase on winners hailing from the mainland venue. Total racecourse attendance this season was over 1.7 million, including a record 195,786 mainland tourists – a 110 per cent increase on the 93,000 mainland tourists from last campaign. The new season will kick off on September 7 at Sha Tin, while the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) will be staged on December 14. There will be record prize money on offer at next season's HKIR and Champions Day events, with HK$208 million being offered.
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
About 20,000 spectators pack into Happy Valley to soak in final day of horse racing season
Tens of thousands of punters packed into Hong Kong's Happy Valley Racecourse to soak up the party atmosphere on the last day of the horse racing season on Wednesday, with many saying it was the busiest they had ever seen. A full house, estimated to be around 20,000 spectators, attended Happy Wednesday, which featured live bands, DJs and a fireworks display. Happy Wednesday is one of Hong Kong's two horse racing events that run weekly throughout the season. The Happy Valley event is known to attract a younger crowd and tourists with a lively atmosphere because of its HK$10 (US$1.30) entry and focus on food, alcohol and live music. Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said that the crowd showed Hong Kong horse racing was more than a gambling spectacle. 'It is the excitement of Hong Kong, I think it will be a full house, and that is something which epitomises Hong Kong,' Engelbrecht-Bresges said. 'It's a passion for horse racing. It's a passion of energy, of close finishes, dynamism. Highland Rahy (6), ridden by Zac Purton, won the Class 3 over 1,650m at Happy Valley. Photo: Kenneth Chan 'Horse racing in Hong Kong is absolutely unique, and the most unique place in the world for horse racing is Happy Valley.
