Hong Kong will for the first time stage three spring Group 1 features on a single day, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced today (19 September). The Champions Mile (1600m) and the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) have been brought forward one week in the calendar, joining the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup to form an exciting Group 1 triple-header on Sunday, 29 April, 2018.
“This adjustment to the schedule unifies these three world-class features under the banner of the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup race meeting, so creating Hong Kong’s own spring festival,” said Mr. Anthony Kelly, Executive Director, Racing Business and Operations. “These moves will create one of the most lucrative days of racing in Asia and offers overseas connections a single date at which to target their horses. We are already looking forward to an excellent day of international racing in Hong Kong on the last Sunday of April.”
As previously announced, all three races have received prize money increases. The Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) was boosted by HK$4 million to carry a purse of HK$24 million, making it the second-richest race run in Hong Kong. Increases of HK$2 million were applied to both the Champions Mile and Chairman’s Sprint Prize, bringing their total prizes to HK$18 million and HK$16 million, respectively.
