Hong Kong's two great sporting passions collided at Sha Tin on Sunday as the Hong Kong Jockey Club launched "Racing with Rugby," a landmark tie-up with Hong Kong China Rugby and the Hong Kong Football Club.
Staged under the banner "one city, two passions," the ceremony coincided with the announcement of the Hong Kong China men's and women's squads for the upcoming Hong Kong Sevens and marks a first-of-its-kind celebration uniting horse racing and rugby. It lands in a week that will see the city's racing and rugby calendars collide like never before, with Happy Valley, Sha Tin and Kai Tak Stadium all in play.
"Today we launch Racing with Rugby, bringing together Hong Kong's two iconic sports — horse racing and rugby — under the banner 'one city, two passions,'" HKJC chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told guests. "With equine stars and rugby players at the very top of their game, both sports are packed with energy and excitement. And both have brought global attention — and tourists — to Hong Kong."
Engelbrecht-Bresges said Sha Tin — "the home of Hong Kong's world-class racing and a year-round destination for racing tourism" — was the natural venue for the launch, particularly in the Year of the Horse, which the Club is celebrating throughout 2026. He revealed the track has welcomed a record 275,000 tourists so far this season for fixtures including the Longines Hong Kong International Races and the BMW Hong Kong Derby.
For the first time, the Jockey Club's Happy Wednesday meeting at Happy Valley on April 15 will run alongside the HKFC 10s, giving fans the chance to experience both sports in the same Happy Valley neighborhood on the same day before the Hong Kong Sevens kicks off at Kai Tak Stadium later in the week.
"From Sha Tin, the action moves to Happy Valley — famous for Happy Wednesday race nights and the perfect mid-week spot for fans enjoying the Rugby Tens," Engelbrecht-Bresges said. "Then, starting Friday, the Hong Kong Sevens — where the world comes to play, and enjoy, the very best international rugby."
To commemorate the partnership, HKCR Chairman Chris Brooke and HKFC President Nicholas Hunsworth, joined by Hong Kong Sevens ambassadors Salom Yiu and Christy Cheng, presented an autographed Hong Kong China jersey bearing the number "1" and "HKJC" on the back to Engelbrecht-Bresges. In return, the CEO — flanked by champion jockey Zac Purton and apprentice Britney Wong — handed over racing silks in the Club's signature blue and yellow to the rugby delegations.
Racegoers at Sha Tin got into the spirit, with meet-and-greet sessions, interactive games and Hong Kong China jersey sales at Genso Fudo Town as the city gears up for back-to-back rugby weekends.
The Jockey Club continues as the Official Community Partner of the Hong Kong Sevens for a fifth year and, for the first time, takes on the same role for the HKFC 10s. Through fan village booths, outreach programs, youth rugby competitions and ticket donations to students, the elderly and underprivileged groups, the initiative is expected to give more than 12,000 people a taste of the sport this year.
Engelbrecht-Bresges said community reach was central to the partnership.
"We believe strongly in the power of sport to change lives," he said. "Through outreach programmes, mini rugby, and support for the underprivileged to enjoy the Sevens and Tens, we want to share the pleasures and benefits of rugby with as many people as possible. In this, and in many other ways, the Club fulfils its purpose, which is the betterment of everyone in our society."
He thanked Hong Kong China Rugby and the Hong Kong Football Club for joining the Jockey Club in the tie-up and wished the Hong Kong China teams well ahead of their Sevens campaign.
"My thanks to Hong Kong, China Rugby and the Hong Kong Football Club for joining us in this partnership," he said. "The best of luck to our Hong Kong, China teams. And to everyone here today, I hope you have a truly memorable day, with even more to come at Happy Valley and Kai Tak as we celebrate our twin passions of racing and rugby."
The Jockey Club has long promoted sport at both community and elite levels, funded through its integrated business model in which racing and responsible sports wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment for Hong Kong.
