A record HK$1.16 billion (US$148,478,565/£115,275,342 /€130,238,245/A$195,225,906) in prize money will be on offer across 88 race meetings during the 2017/18 Hong Kong season, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced Monday. Kicking off on Sept. 3, the season will also feature increased purses for all three of the spring Group 1 features: the 2000-metre Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK$24 million, up for from 2016/17); while the 1600-metre Champions Mile and the 1200-metre Chairman's Sprint Prize each receive HK$2-million purse boosts, bringing their total prize money to HK$18 million each.
Once these increases take effect, Hong Kong will be home to the world's two richest Group 1 races on turf at 2000m, 1600m and 1200m, with the aforementioned trio all sitting second behind the Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m), Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), respectively. The Longines Hong Kong Vase has had its purse increased by HK$1.5 million to HK$18 million, while the Dec. 10, 2017 Hong Kong International Races will offer total purses of HK$84.5 million for the quartet of Group 1s.
“Hong Kong's major racing festivals have always been popular destinations for some of the world's top horses and horseman, and these increases, particularly the HK$4-million boost to the QEII Cup, are designed to further enhance the attractiveness of travelling horses to Hong Kong for our premier pattern events,” said Mr. Anthony Kelly, Executive Director, Racing Business and Operations.
The current bonus schemes will also continue, with a High Achievement Bonus (HAB) of HK$750,000 awarded to the owner of any horse rated 80 or high which captures a Class 2 event prior to the age of five and an additional HK$250,000 available if the horse subsequently salutes for the first time in a Class 1 or higher before the start of their 5-year-old year. For griffins, there is a one-time, International Sale Griffin Bonus (ISGB) of HK$600,000, given to any graduate from the Hong Kong International Sale following its first win in a Class 3 race before the end of its first full season in Hong Kong. Further top-up bonuses of HK$400,000 are available to ISGB winners should they claim a Class 1 race in the same time period as HAB winners.
“The Club is keen to reward Owners appropriately for their significant investment in sourcing quality horses to race in Hong Kong, and these increases across the vast majority of races go a long way towards accomplishing that,” said Mr. Kelly. “These enhancements are necessary for Hong Kong to remain competitive on the global stage, providing our owners with the necessary incentives to pursue the purchase of some of the world's finest horses.”
The full Hong Kong schedule for the 2017/18 racing season will be released soon. For more information on the prize money increases, go to www.hkjc.com.
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