Hong Kong racing will offer record prize money of HK$1.46 billion for the 2021/22 season with the four G1 features on LONGINES Hong Kong International Raceday offering a combined new high of HK$100 million (£9.3 million).
By elevating the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup’s prize money to HK$30 million (£2.8 million), the Hong Kong Jockey Club will stage the world’s richest Group 1 races over 1200m, 1400m, 1600m and 2000m on turf.
The LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, which are already the most valuable Group 1 races over 1600m and 1200m on turf, will rise to HK$26 million (£2.4 million) and HK$24 million (£2.2 million) respectively.
The Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) is also the most endowed seven-furlong contest in the world on turf at HK$12 million (£1.1 million).
Hong Kong will also stage the world’s second most-valuable 1200m Group 1 on turf in 2021/22, with the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, run on FWD Champions Day, worth HK$20 million (£1.9 million).
The upward adjustments, announced today, Friday 16 July, re-establishes the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup as the most lucrative Group 1 2000m event on turf in the world and consolidates its position as a principal target for the world’s best middle-distance horses.
Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association President Mr. Matthew Lam said: “The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been doing great in keeping ‘racing goes on’ amid the COVID-19 challenges since last year when so many other sporting events were impacted. It is great to see the further increase of prize money in nearly all races, which offer good incentives to Hong Kong Owners to continue to import high class horses and support the world class racing standard in Hong Kong.”
