Sha Tin Racecourse welcomed a large and enthusiastic crowd of racing fans, including many tourists, today (19 February) for the Year of the Horse Raceday, one of the highlights of the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign.

The campaign is a year-long celebration of the close bond between horses and humans and the contribution racing makes to Hong Kong. Racing is not only the city’s favourite pastime, but a symbol of its can-do spirit and stability under One Country, Two Systems. Thanks to the success of Hong Kong horses on the international stage, it also brings pride to Hong Kong citizens and global recognition to our city. None of this would be possible without the horse.

Officiating at the opening ceremony and extending their New Year blessings to racegoers were The Hon Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Also in attendance were Club Stewards and Club jockeys.

Throughout the day racing fans and tourists immersed themselves in festive joy, enjoying special programmes, blessing points and photo spots, with plenty of Year of the Horse luck to take home with them.

A special highlight was two “Harmonious Horses” sculptures standing over three metres high and created by renowned artist Simon Ma, symbolising the unity between the Club and the community. Their appearance marked the launch of the Harmonious Horse International Exhibition Tour, which will see the horses tour Hong Kong throughout the year as part of the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign.

Also attracting a great deal of attention – and photo-taking – was the Club’s float from the International Chinese New Year Night Parade on the first day of Chinese New Year.

The months to come will see many more events celebrating the Year of the Horse, the highlight being the launch, in October, of world-class racing, equestrian events and entertainment at the Club’s Conghua Racecourse in Guangzhou. This will be a significant milestone in the Club’s support for national equine industry development in the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2024/25, the Club returned a total of HK$39.1 billion to the community. This included HK$30.1 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.