The overall racing wagering turnover for the 2024/25 racing season increased by 3 percent, reaching HK$138.85 billion, as reported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).
"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," HKJC said on Thursday.
"Encouraging return to growth"
It added that the growth was driven primarily by optimized jackpot offerings, improved field sizes, increased mainland and international sports tourism, and the continued success of globalizing Hong Kong Racing via commingling combined with HKJC's international simulcast under World Pool Strategy.
Local races have attracted a record commingling turnover of HK$31.76 billion, a 10.1 percent increase from the 2023/24 season.
"A notable highlight was achieved at the Chinese New Year Raceday in January, with commingling turnover surging by 23.7 percent to HK$510.4 million," HKJC said, adding that it also set a new record in the process and surpassed HK$500 million for the first time.
Through the World Pool, the Club aims to offer global parimutuel wagering with deep liquidity on the very best international races. This season, the number of World Pool races increased from 258 to 296 including, for the first time, all 12 of the Club’s Group 1 races as well as top races from New Zealand. Commingling turnover into the World Pool (excluding Club races) recorded a 8.4 percent increase over last season.
In total, racing fans enjoyed 88 race meetings this season, including seven summer series fixtures, comprising 847 Hong Kong races and 393 overseas simulcast races.
Over 1.7 million racecourse attendance
The racecourses have also attracted 1.7 million visitors this season, including a record 195,786 tourists from the mainland, plus international visitors. The figures marked a significant 110 percent increase on the 93,000 Mainland tourists who visited last season.
"Since the Policy Address of HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee, 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 for themselves," HKJC's Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said.
He added that the achievements have strengthened Hong Kong racing's position as a world-class sport and entertainment experience. "They have also made an important contribution to Hong Kong tourism as well as underlining Hong Kong's vital role as a centre for East-West exchange."
Local champion horses won 11 of world's top Group 1 races
Separately, led by Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble, Hong Kong's champion horses won 11 of the world's top Group 1 races in 2024/25.
Additionally, 12 Hong Kong-trained horses received an international rating of 115 or higher in the year-ending 2024 LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings.
In particular, by the end of the 2024/25 season, Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising, both at a rating of 126, are at joint-fourth place with Delacroix in the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings while Voyage Bubble, at a rating of 121, was joint 15th.
Romantic Warrior, at a rating of 126, stands at joint-fourth place in the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings. (HKJC)
Ka Ying Rising, at a rating of 126, stands at joint-fourth place in the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings. (HKJC)
In addition, John Size advanced to a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers' championship with 69 wins, while Zac Purton was crowned Hong Kong champion jockey for an eighth time with 138 victories, as Matthew Poon won the Tony Cruz Award for leading home-grown jockeys.
"Hong Kong racing is truly worldclass and I am immensely proud of the performances of our champion horses, jockeys and trainers," Engelbrecht-Bresges said.
(Kelvin Wan)
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