Why Hong Kong?

Hong Kong has over 150 years of horse racing history. The sport was introduced by the British when Hong Kong Island, in the southern part of Hong Kong, was ceded to Britain in 1842. In 1884 the Hong Kong Jockey Club was established, a non-profit organization that contributes its betting revenues to charity and community projects. Horse racing is Hong Kong’s most popular sport and one of its residents’ biggest passions.​

Since the Beijing Olympics in 2008, horse-riding has been booming in Mainland China. More than 1.19 million people were registered at 2,000 equestrian clubs nationwide by 2019.​

In August 2023, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) announced a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the China Horse Industry Association (CHIA) intended to develop the equine industry in China. They will work on talent development, thoroughbred registration and the preservation of cultural and heritage aspects.​

The collaboration forms part of the National Equine Industry Development Plan (2020 – 2025) established by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the General Administration of Sport.​

Hong Kong has a population of 7.3m and holds a strategic location at the heart of the Greater Bay Area. It is the world’s fourth ranked global financial centre, ninth largest exporter and eighth largest importer. It is home to the highest number of ultra high-net-worth individuals and the second highest number of billionaires of any city in the world.​

The Greater Bay area has a total population of​ 86 million and consists of nine cities and two special administrative regions. It is described as a ‘magalopolis’ and is designed by Chinese government planners as an integrated economic area aimed at taking a leading role globally by 2035. It is the largest and most populated urban area and is among the four largest metro areas in the world, comparable with New York, Tokyo and San Francisco.

It is the largest and richest economic region in Southern China with a GDP of over US$1.3 trillion (10% of China’s total GDP), comparable or even higher than other cities such as New York, San Francisco and Tokyo. It is the 12th largest economic entity in the world.​