HRJC and RV Announce Agreement

A reciprocal arrangement was reached yesterday between the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and Racing Victoria (RV) that will allow the chief stewards from each organization to travel and participate in the stewards’ panel for major race meetings. The reciprocal arrangement begins next week when Terry Bailey, RV’s Chairman of Stewards will be a member of the HKJC’s Racing Stewards’ panel as a voting member for the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship race meeting at Happy Valley Racecourse Dec. 10 and for the Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse Dec. 14. 

“This is a unique opportunity to welcome knowledge and experience, whilst also opening a new avenue to highlight the harmonization efforts of the Asian Racing Federation as part of the globalization of racing,” said William A. Nader, Executive Director, Racing of the HKJC. “The shared commitment to excellence and long-term partnership between both organizations can now take tangible shape during the most important week in Hong Kong racing.” 

The first opportunity for the HKJC to send a chief steward to a Racing Victoria function will be when Kim Kelly, the HKJC’s Chief Stipendiary Steward will be a member of the RV Stipendiary Stewards’ panel to vote during the 2015 Emirates Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

Added Bernard Saundry, RV’s Chief Executive Officer, “We welcome the opportunity to work more closely with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and believe this reciprocal agreement will only serve to benefit the integrity knowledge base and practices across both jurisdictions. Racing Victoria has worked hard to build reciprocal arrangements and international employment opportunities for stewards to both develop and share their skills and knowledge. We’re pleased to take this to a new level with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and our premier events.”