HKIR Sets Benchmark

The annual HK$83 million Longines Hong Kong International Races saw 100,710 turn out to savour the four Group 1 races on tap, an increase of 17.4% from last year's mark. Total turnover for the 10-race card came to HK$1.518 billion.

“This was one of the most astonishing days of international racing we have seen in Hong Kong,” commented Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chief Executive Officer. “It's the highest turnover ever for this day, and an increase of 4.7% on last year. But the attendance was even more pleasing, with a record for the day of more than 100,000 people, combining Sha Tin and Happy Valley.”

Continued Engelbrecht-Bresges, who was also pleased with the commingling return, a record at HK$72.8 million, “Our commingling figure was an increase of more than 40% on last year, with a figure of over HK$72 million, which accounts for 4.8% of the day's total turnover. This shows again that we think our strategy of world class racing, including beaming the races around the world, giving customers the opportunity to bet into the largest per-race tote pools in the world is the right strategy.”

Engelbrecht-Bresges was quick to also note the overall success of the Longines HKIR, which kicked off Dec. 7, with the Longines Hong Kong International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley.

“I'd like to thank the Jockey Club team for putting on such an excellent show,” he said. “It is, we humbly believe, the greatest show on turf and it takes a huge effort and detailed planning from the many people who are involved. And a special thanks to the media–the coverage this year has been outstanding.”

Added Mr. Anthony Kelly, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director, Racing Business and Operations, “On Wednesday evening at Happy Valley we had over 29,000 people in attendance, and we had more than HK$1.2 billion in turnover, so between four days in Hong Kong, we've had 130,000 race goers and HK$2.8 billion in turnover on 19 races, so that speaks for itself.”