The curtain came down on another remarkable Hong Kong racing season at Happy Valley on Wednesday, 15 July, bringing to a close a campaign defined by exceptional horses, historic milestones and growing international recognition. From unbeaten champions and record crowds to stronger global participation, the 2025/26 season reinforced Hong Kong’s standing among the world’s leading racing jurisdictions.
Hong Kong racing season 2025/26.
The season’s defining story belonged to two extraordinary racehorses, Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, whose achievements elevated Hong Kong racing onto the world stage. Together, they captured 10 Group 1 victories and spent much of the campaign among the highest-rated horses in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, with Ka Ying Rising sharing the world No. 1 rating of 131 and Romantic Warrior ranked equal third on 126.
Reflecting on the season, Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges described it as one of the finest in recent memory, highlighting the performances of the city’s champion horses during the Year of the Horse celebrations. He praised Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior for setting new standards of excellence and noted that having two Hong Kong-trained horses among the world’s elite was an extraordinary accomplishment for a racing jurisdiction with fewer than 1,300 horses in training.
Hong Kong-trained runners enjoyed another dominant year at the highest level. Led by Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior, Voyage Bubble and My Wish, local horses captured 12 elite Group 1 races during the season, while 11 of Hong Kong’s 12 premier races featured in the 2025 LONGINES World’s Top 100 Group 1 races. Ten Hong Kong-trained horses also earned international ratings of 115 or higher, underlining the strength and depth of the local racing programme.
Ka Ying Rising continued to build his reputation as one of the finest sprinters in modern racing. His victory in The Everest in Australia made him the first overseas-trained winner of the world’s richest turf race. He also surpassed the legendary Silent Witness by extending his unbeaten Hong Kong winning streak to 20 races while establishing a new Sha Tin 1400-metre record and twice lowering his own 1200-metre track record.
Romantic Warrior added further chapters to an already glittering career. The champion secured a fourth straight LONGINES Hong Kong Cup and a fourth FWD QEII Cup before completing the coveted Hong Kong Triple Crown with victories in the Stewards’ Cup, Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup and Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. Those triumphs lifted his career earnings beyond HK$288 million, a world record for prizemoney.
In recognition of their outstanding achievements, Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior were named joint winners of the Hong Kong Champion Horse Award, marking the first time the honour had been shared.
The season also introduced a new generation of headline performers. BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Invincible Ibis, alongside emerging talents Little Paradise, Stormy Grove and Hot Delight, announced themselves as horses to follow in the years ahead.
Among the human stars, Caspar Fownes claimed a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship after a closely fought contest, while Zac Purton secured his ninth jockeys’ title with 143 winners. Purton also reached another landmark by becoming the first rider to record 2,000 winners in Hong Kong. Jerry Chau finished the season as the leading homegrown jockey after winning the Tony Cruz Award.
The Hong Kong racing season 2025/26 also reflected continued investment in the sport’s future. Prize money and owner incentive schemes reached record levels, with HK$1.78 billion distributed through prize money and bonuses. A new Premier Series will be introduced next season to encourage the import of higher-rated horses, while the Hong Kong Derby will celebrate its 150th running with prize money increasing to HK$28 million.
Conghua Racecourse continued to play an increasingly significant role behind the scenes. Nearly 500 horses trained there on average during the season, contributing to a notable rise in winners and strike rates. Preparations also remain on schedule for Conghua to stage its first thoroughbred race meeting on 31 October 2026, creating a “Two Cities, Three Racecourses” model linking Sha Tin, Happy Valley and Conghua.
Off the track, Hong Kong racing strengthened its international footprint by hosting major industry conferences on racing governance, jockey welfare and equine research. Tourism also reached unprecedented levels, with more than 401,000 visitors from overseas and mainland China attending race meetings during the Year of the Horse, more than doubling the previous season’s figure.
The Hong Kong racing season 2025/26 also delivered encouraging commercial growth. Across 88 meetings featuring 865 local races, total turnover increased by 3.2 per cent to HK$143.31 billion. International commingling turnover reached a record HK$34.4 billion, while World Pool participation expanded to 397 races, reflecting Hong Kong’s growing influence in global racing.
With record-breaking horses, championship performances, stronger international engagement and ambitious plans already in place for the future, the 2025/26 campaign leaves Hong Kong racing in one of the strongest positions in its history.
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