Asian Racing Conference

Collaboration and communication are key to forming fruitful relationships with government that allow the industry to move forward, representatives from four countries iterated in a panel titled 'Engaging with the Government as a Stakeholder' during the closing session of the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town on Friday. Andrew Harding, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, discussed how that organization has strong relationships with the government in both the Hong Kong SAR and Mainland China. "The Hong Kong government regards the Hong Kong Jockey Club as a close...

The combat of illegal betting was a key theme during the first session of panels at the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town on Wednesday. Douglas Robinson, senior due diligence and research manager for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and deputy chairman of the Asian Racing Federation Anti-Illegal Betting Taskforce, said racing "faces a war against a rampant illegal betting market" and stressed the need for racing regulators to build relationships with governments to combat the problem. The ARF's Anti-Illegal Betting Taskforce was set up in 2016 and comprises 14...

The Asian Racing Conference has returned to South Africa for the first time in more than two decades, and following opening ceremonies on Tuesday evening panels are set to take place Feb. 19 through 21 in Cape Town. The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing Andrew Harding, also secretary-general of the Asian Racing Federation, gave the opening address on behalf of HKJC Chief Executive Officer and ARF Chairman Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who has remained in Hong Kong to manage the Club's response to the coronavirus pandemic. "Winfried has asked...

The fourth International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses will be held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town from Feb. 18 to 23, and will feature case studies from South Africa, Japan, Korea and Australia. "Given increased public awareness of animal welfare around the world, it is especially important to prioritize aftercare, and IFAR is thankful to the Asian Racing Conference for enabling us to spread this message," said Di Arbuthnot, chair of IFAR and chief executive of Retraining of Racehorses. "We look forward to hearing...

The fourth International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will be held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference (ARC), which is scheduled for Feb. 18-23, 2020, in Cape Town, South Africa. Both events are being hosted by the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and the ARC local organizing committee, consisting of Phumelela Gaming and Leisure, the Racing Association, Gold Circle Racing and Gaming Group, Kenilworth Racing, and The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa. IFAR will host sessions that span a range of topics related to aftercare, including case...