Racing in Macau will end from April 1 of this year following an announcement on Monday by the Macau Horse Racing Company, operator of the Macau Jockey Club (MJC), that is is to terminate its contract with the Macau government.
A significant employer in Macau, the MJC in its present guise has been in existence since 1989, though racing on the peninsula on China's southern coast has a centuries-long history. The decision to cease racing in just over two months' time at Taipa racecourse will affect hundreds of employees of the MJC, which includes 12 trainers and stable staff, and around 200 horses. It comes in the wake of the Singapore Turf Club's announcement last June that racing will no longer take place in Singapore after October of this year.
A statement on the MJC website read, “Macau Horse Racing Company Limited regretfully announces that this morning the company signed an agreement with the Macau (SAR) government to terminate the 'Concession Contract for the Exclusion Operation of Horse Racing'.”
It continued, “Macau Horse Racing Company Limited has been operating at a loss, accumulate in excess of 2.5 Billion (approximately £245m/€283m). Moreover, there has been limited room for development and growth of the horse racing industry in Macau over the years, and including the adverse effect brought about by pandemic over these last three years, it has become increasingly difficult to sustain the operations. The Board of Directors has had to make a difficult decision, and commencing from April 1, 2024, the company will cease all racing related operations. However, the current member facilities will remain available to the Club's members.”
The statement also notes that arrangements for the racehorses currently in Macau will be finalised by March 31, 2025. The horse population has dwindled significantly in recent years, and 202 horses are currently listed in training on the MJC website.
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