HKJC pledges $170m aid for Tai Po fire victims

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has announced an initial donation of HK$100 million from its Charities Trust to provide urgent relief to the victims and bereaved families of the catastrophic Wang Fuk Court blaze in Tai Po. Apart from that, all gross proceeds from Sunday’s scaled-back, closed-door race meeting—expected to reach around HK$70 million—will also be channeled to support those affected.

Expressing profound sadness over the tragedy, the Club described the fire as a heartbreaking loss for the entire community and said it is reviewing all its operations to respond appropriately to the city’s grief.

The Sunday’s scheduled race meeting will be fully scaled back and closed to the general public. Only horse owners, stewards, voting members, and a limited number of their invited guests will be allowed on the course.

There will be no corporate sponsors, no live music, and no public entertainment of any kind.

Before racing begins, everyone present will observe a minute’s silence, and all jockeys will wear black armbands throughout the day.

Off-course betting branches will open for essential services only, and all members and customers who had booked tables or seats, either at the racecourse or in betting branches, will receive full refunds.

The Mark Six lottery draw originally set for Saturday has been postponed to Tuesday, with all purchased tickets remaining valid.

The Club’s swift HK$100 million pledge, one of the largest single emergency donations in its history, underscores the scale of the disaster and the racing body’s determination to stand with the city in its moment of deepest sorrow.