An unforgettable racing season marked record-breaking performances and lively parties

The 2022/23 racing season might have come to a close but it is a season that will live long in the minds of racing fans. Hong Kong racing celebrated coming out of the pandemic lockdown with a bang, once more hosting a number of prominent international races and eminent jockeys, horses and their trainers.

Fans were no doubt ecstatic to witness racing’s re-emergence and to find Hong Kong’s jockeys could hold their own against international challengers and triumph at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR). Records were broken. History was made.

Hong Kong horses and jockeys showed they were at least the measure of their overseas challengers at the HKIR. More than 45,000 punters flocked to Sha Tin Racecourse to witness three local champions – Wellington, California Spangle and Romantic Warrior – take home three of the four elite Group 1 contests, with Japan’s Win Marilyn triumphant in the fourth.

And who could forget one of the tightest races in the history of the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley Racecourse where racegoers had the thrill of watching some of the top international jockeys such as Ryan Moore, James McDonald, Tom Marquand, top female rider Australia’s Jamie Kah and the UK’s Hollie Doyle, competing against local heroes such as Vincent Ho and Derek Leung. 

The FWD Champions Day was another exhilarating event where Hong Kong’s champion horses showed their true mettle.  Local champions Golden Sixty, Lucky Sweynesse and Romantic Warrior made it a clean sweep of all the G1 features, giving the local crowd plenty to cheer about. Lucky Sweynesse made it a hat-trick of G1 triumphs at HK Speed Series with his win.

Golden Sixty, ridden by Vincent Ho, showed he had the Midas touch by making history, winning the coveted FWD Champions Mile (1600m) three times in a row, becoming the world’s leading prize money earner. Golden Sixty also ended his season on the ultimate high, winning his third consecutive Horse of the Year award at the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Champion Awards 2022-2023. The pride of Hong Kong was also voted Most Popular Horse by race fans.

Golden Sixty, Lucky Sweynesse and Romantic Warrior may have been the big winners of the FWD Champions Day but there were some great performances from other partnerships through the 2022/23 season.

Voyage Bubble and rider Alexis Badel pulled off a shock win for trainer Ricky Yiu in the final leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, pipping Tuchel at the post to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby and leaving the crowd stunned at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Russian Emperor was also a fan favourite this season, not just with local punters but also Qatar crowds where he landed a famous victory in the H.H. The Amir Trophy (2400m) for jockey-turned-trainer Douglas Whyte. The champion stayer followed that impressive win up with victory in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup for a second season in a row.

Frenchman Badel wasn’t the only jockey celebrating a big win this season. The racing world watched in awe as Zac Purton capped a tremendous season with a record-breaking 179 wins. Purton is now only the second jockey in Hong Kong racing history to surpass 1,600 wins, and has his eyes on Whyte’s career mark of 1,813 wins. Purton’s successful season ended with his sixth Champion Jockey title.

Vincent Ho made trainer Tony Cruz and the local crowd proud becoming the first home-grown jockey after Cruz to notch 500 wins in his career, 25 of which have been on the stellar Golden Sixty. Ho clinched the Tony Cruz Award with 96 wins scored as Hong Kong’s leading local jockey and was also voted Most Popular Jockey by fans. Joining him on the exceptional “500 wins” honour list was fellow Apprentice Jockeys’ School graduate Matthew Chadwick.

It has been an unforgettable season for racing fans in Hong Kong, with stunning triumphs and dramatic moments that have kept spectators on the edge of their seats. From nail-biting finishes to thrilling upsets, the season has been a huge success. Fans have been treated to some of the most thrilling moments in Hong Kong racing history. 

Through the season, race-goers also enjoyed Happy Wednesday parties at Happy Valley Racecourse. Fittingly, the 2022/23 season came to a celebratory close with a carnival atmosphere at both the Happy Valley and Sha Tin Racecourses for the final meetings which saw more than 17,000 and 22,000 attend, respectively. There was action both on and off-track with spectators and fun-seekers converging to party and dance the season away with musical performances and other entertainment. A fine farewell to an adrenaline-charged season.

The 2022/23 racing season might have come to a close but it is a season that will live long in the minds of racing fans. Hong Kong racing celebrated coming out of the pandemic lockdown with a bang, once more hosting a number of prominent international races and eminent jockeys, horses and their trainers.

Fans were no doubt ecstatic to witness racing’s re-emergence and to find Hong Kong’s jockeys could hold their own against international challengers and triumph at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR). Records were broken. History was made.

Hong Kong horses and jockeys showed they were at least the measure of their overseas challengers at the HKIR. More than 45,000 punters flocked to Sha Tin Racecourse to witness three local champions – Wellington, California Spangle and Romantic Warrior – take home three of the four elite Group 1 contests, with Japan’s Win Marilyn triumphant in the fourth.

And who could forget one of the tightest races in the history of the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley Racecourse where racegoers had the thrill of watching some of the top international jockeys such as Ryan Moore, James McDonald, Tom Marquand, top female rider Australia’s Jamie Kah and the UK’s Hollie Doyle, competing against local heroes such as Vincent Ho and Derek Leung. 

The FWD Champions Day was another exhilarating event where Hong Kong’s champion horses showed their true mettle.  Local champions Golden Sixty, Lucky Sweynesse and Romantic Warrior made it a clean sweep of all the G1 features, giving the local crowd plenty to cheer about. Lucky Sweynesse made it a hat-trick of G1 triumphs at HK Speed Series with his win.

Golden Sixty, ridden by Vincent Ho, showed he had the Midas touch by making history, winning the coveted FWD Champions Mile (1600m) three times in a row, becoming the world’s leading prize money earner. Golden Sixty also ended his season on the ultimate high, winning his third consecutive Horse of the Year award at the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Champion Awards 2022-2023. The pride of Hong Kong was also voted Most Popular Horse by race fans.

Golden Sixty, Lucky Sweynesse and Romantic Warrior may have been the big winners of the FWD Champions Day but there were some great performances from other partnerships through the 2022/23 season.

Voyage Bubble and rider Alexis Badel pulled off a shock win for trainer Ricky Yiu in the final leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, pipping Tuchel at the post to win the BMW Hong Kong Derby and leaving the crowd stunned at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Russian Emperor was also a fan favourite this season, not just with local punters but also Qatar crowds where he landed a famous victory in the H.H. The Amir Trophy (2400m) for jockey-turned-trainer Douglas Whyte. The champion stayer followed that impressive win up with victory in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup for a second season in a row.

Frenchman Badel wasn’t the only jockey celebrating a big win this season. The racing world watched in awe as Zac Purton capped a tremendous season with a record-breaking 179 wins. Purton is now only the second jockey in Hong Kong racing history to surpass 1,600 wins, and has his eyes on Whyte’s career mark of 1,813 wins. Purton’s successful season ended with his sixth Champion Jockey title.

Vincent Ho made trainer Tony Cruz and the local crowd proud becoming the first home-grown jockey after Cruz to notch 500 wins in his career, 25 of which have been on the stellar Golden Sixty. Ho clinched the Tony Cruz Award with 96 wins scored as Hong Kong’s leading local jockey and was also voted Most Popular Jockey by fans. Joining him on the exceptional “500 wins” honour list was fellow Apprentice Jockeys’ School graduate Matthew Chadwick.

It has been an unforgettable season for racing fans in Hong Kong, with stunning triumphs and dramatic moments that have kept spectators on the edge of their seats. From nail-biting finishes to thrilling upsets, the season has been a huge success. Fans have been treated to some of the most thrilling moments in Hong Kong racing history. 

Through the season, race-goers also enjoyed Happy Wednesday parties at Happy Valley Racecourse. Fittingly, the 2022/23 season came to a celebratory close with a carnival atmosphere at both the Happy Valley and Sha Tin Racecourses for the final meetings which saw more than 17,000 and 22,000 attend, respectively. There was action both on and off-track with spectators and fun-seekers converging to party and dance the season away with musical performances and other entertainment. A fine farewell to an adrenaline-charged season.