Visitor numbers at HKIR hit all-time race day high

The annual international horse racing showcase, the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, concluded successfully on Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse. 

Driven by racing tourism, the number of visiting spectators reached 13,300, setting a new record for the event and breaking the single-day attendance record for visiting racegoers.

With Sunday’s record-breaking visitor turnout, the cumulative number of visiting spectators this 2025/26 season has surpassed 110,000 just three months after the season kicked off. By comparison, it took six months in the 2024/25 season to reach 100,000. 

Exceeding half of last season’s total in only three months underscores the strong appeal of racing tourism. At this pace, total visiting attendance this season is poised to challenge last season’s 195,786.

On wagering, the 10 races today generated over HK$1.66 billion in total turnover, including nearly HK$480 million in commingled pool bets—a record for a 10-race card.

Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the race gathered top jockeys and horses, delivering one of the most spectacular race days ever. 

“We witnessed world-class racing at Sha Tin. With the support of owners, trainers and jockeys from overseas and locally, the Club showcased Hong Kong on the international stage, and we are very proud,” he said.

Over the past year, Hong Kong runners have notched repeated successes overseas, including the world champion “Romantic Warrior” and reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year “Ka Ying Rising,” which helped attract visitors from the Mainland and abroad to Hong Kong to watch them compete on home turf at the HKIR. 

A visitor from Xiamen surnamed Tang making his first trip to Hong Kong, said he has followed Hong Kong racing for years and came specifically to support Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Cup. 

He noted he has attended races overseas but finds the atmosphere in Hong Kong even more electric.

“I’ll definitely come again if I have the chance, and I’ll recommend friends to visit too,” he said.

South African visitor Kuben Gengan, a racing enthusiast who has watched races across six continents, decided he had to come to Hong Kong after seeing “Ka Ying Rising” clinch The Everest in Australia with a superb performance in October.

Visiting Hong Kong for the first time with friends, he praised the city’s breathtaking scenery and the racecourse’s energy.

“The crowds are huge and the atmosphere is the most vibrant—I can really feel Hongkongers’ passion for racing,” he said.

Four Group 1 races were held on Sunday, with the home team capturing three major titles, an excellent result. 
The world’s highest-rated sprint star “Ka Ying Rising” decisively defended his title in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, extending his winning streak to 16 across seasons and tying the record of legendary Hong Kong champion “Golden Sixty.”

In the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, “Romantic Warrior” won comfortably to secure the title for the fourth consecutive year, making history and boosting his total earnings to HK$240 million—remaining the highest-earning racehorse in the world. 

Last season’s Hong Kong Triple Crown winner “Voyage Bubble” successfully retained the crown in the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. Among overseas runners, “Same As” triumphed in the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.