HONG KONG STAKES INCREASE HANDSOMELY

Hong Kong’s domestic racing prize money will rise by 8% for the 2023/24 season, featuring increases across every class of competition –from Griffins to Class 1 and the Four-Year-Old Classic Series – with an additional HK$94 million on offer.

Including bonuses, Hong Kong’s domestic prize money will grow next season to HK$1.38 billion – a figure which does not include prize money for Hong Kong’s Group 1 races, including the seven elite contests featured at LONGINES Hong Kong

International Races and FWD Champions Day, and Group 2 and Group 3 races.

Details of the final 2023/24 prize money structure, including Group racing, will be announced by the Club in coming days.

Adding to the Club’s decision to boost PP (Privately Purchased) Bonuses for both Class 2 and Class 3 horses from HK$1 million to HK$1.5 million for next season, prize money for Griffins rises 8% to HK$950,000 a race, while Class 1 races at 1600m or further will be worth HK$4.075 million, a gain of 7.2%.

The BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) will be worth HK$26 million, an increase of HK$2 million, while the two other legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) –will each carry HK$13 million, an extra HK$1 million per race.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “The BMW Hong Kong Derby is revered in Hong Kong as the race every Owner wants to win and considerable financial resources are often outlaid to secure high-quality horses to try and run in and win the Classic.

“The BMW Hong Kong Derby and Four-Year-Old Classic Series prize money increases are part of our continuing commitment to providing an attractive prize money and bonus structure to Owners who invest in top quality Derby contenders, many of which go on to develop as Hong Kong’s best performers.

“More broadly, with the enhanced prize money at every level of Hong Kong racing – from Griffins to Class 1 – next season, we are continuing to deliver on our commitment to support our Owners who are the bedrock of Hong Kong’s world-class racing.

“We recognise that our Owners face strong competition in traditional markets for the supply of horses to Hong Kong and believe that these enhancements for next season will provide our Owners substantial support proportionate with their investments.”

The prize money schedule for next season means Hong Kong’s prize money pool has grown by nearly 100% over the past 10 years.