Over the years, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has consistently supported the advancement of the country’s sports development and the promotion of inclusivity in sports, encouraging people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to lead active and healthy lifestyles. In the last ten years alone, the Club’s Charities Trust has provided nearly HK$6.7 billion to support sports development at both elite and community levels.

Today (19 April), the Club stated that it will continue its efforts to advance sports development in Hong Kong. By bringing major sports events into the community and progressing towards professional and industry development, the Club aims to support the HKSAR Government’s efforts to promote sports in the community, support elite sports, maintain Hong Kong’s status as a centre for major international sports events, enhance professionalism and develop sports as an industry.

This year’s The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Day was held at Sha Tin Racecourse, attracting over 200 charity and community representatives. The ceremony was officiated by The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government; Lin Nan, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; The Hon Martin Liao, Club Chairman; Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Club Chief Executive Officer; The Hon Kenneth Fok, Member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR; and George Tsoi, Commissioner for Sports of the HKSAR Government.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao highlighted that horse racing is a symbol of the city’s prosperity and stability under One Country, Two Systems, and remains a highly popular sport, embodying Hong Kong’s “can‑do” spirit. This year’s Community Day features sports as its theme, showcasing the Club’s contribution and strong commitment to sports development in Hong Kong. Through its unique integrated business model, the Club delivers world‑class horse racing and responsible wagering, supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling, and generates economic and social value for Hong Kong through tax contributions, charity donations and employment opportunities for the betterment of society. In the last financial year, the Club contributed a total of HK$39.1 billion to society, including HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, with its Charities Trust among the biggest donors worldwide and the largest in Asia.

The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasised the Government’s continued commitment to investing in and promoting sports development in Hong Kong. She noted that the Club has long been one of the Government’s most valued partners in the promotion of sports, from supporting the construction of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (formerly the Jubilee Sports Centre) in the late 1970s to its support for the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, as well as various “M” Mark events including the Hong Kong Sevens, which concludes today at Kai Tak Sports Park.

Going forward, the Club will continue to work alongside stakeholders to contribute to Hong Kong’s sports development blueprint. Leveraging major sports events as a platform, the Club will bring sports culture deeper into the community through continued support for multiple “M” Mark events as an Official Community Partner, enabling broader participation, including among underprivileged groups, to experience the appeal of sports and promote social inclusion. In parallel, new initiatives will continue to be introduced, such as this week’s “Racing with Rugby”, to further enhance the economic impact, international profile and benefits of sports development generated by major events in Hong Kong.

The Club will also actively foster a vibrant culture of community sports by developing iconic sports such as equestrian, football, basketball, golf and rugby, broadening the public’s exposure while deepening interest and sports literacy. These diverse activities and support programmes will help enhance youth resilience, improve physical and mental health, and strengthen social cohesion, thereby fostering positive values.

To further strengthen the sports ecosystem and promote sustainable development, the Club will continue to enhance talent development, strengthen corporate governance and improve management capacity across sports organisations. These efforts will generate greater social impact, raise professional standards across the sector, and support the development of both elite and community sports. Through these initiatives, the Club aims to work closely with the HKSAR Government and partners across society to inject new momentum in local sports development and reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a world‑class destination for sports, entertainment and tourism.

Sports development remains one of the Club’s key focus areas. The Club has long supported a wide range of sports initiatives to promote a healthier and more vibrant society. These include the Trust‑initiated and funded JC Fit City, which encourages citizens to incorporate sports and exercise into their daily lives to achieve the World Health Organization’s recommended weekly level of physical activity; JC Project MuSE, a school-based music (Mu) and sports (S) education (E) programme for primary school children in the most impoverished areas of Hong Kong; the Jockey Club HKFA Football Development Programme, which empowers people of all ages and abilities - including students, parents, coaches and seniors - to experience the joy of football; and the Jockey Club Youth Football Academy Summit, which provides a platform for young footballers from different areas to learn, exchange views, and understand cultural differences.

The Club initiated the annual Community Day race meeting in 2005 as a way of honouring its successful partnerships with Government and community organisations for the betterment of society. This initiative followed the generous donation of a silver racing trophy, over 170 years old, by the late Tobias Brown, in recognition of the Club’s charitable contributions to the community. It has since been renamed The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy. It was won this year by Absolute Honour, ridden by Zac Purton. The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, presented the trophy to winning owner Alan Hu.

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.