The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) staged a truly memorable LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) Gala Dinner tonight (9 December 2022) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre as a highlight of HKIR week. Guest of Honour was Mr Chan Kwok-ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

More than 100 international racing guests, including top global leaders of the racing and equestrian industries as well as renowned horse owners, joined with members of the Hong Kong racing community to celebrate the HKIR, one of the world’s most spectacular race days. They also applauded James McDonald as he received the 2022 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award.

Coming just one month after the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit and the Hong Kong Sevens, the HKIR represents the full return of Hong Kong’s world-class racing to the international stage. It is also an affirmation of Hong Kong’s position as “Asia’s World City” and a “Stage for World Class Events”.

Internationally recognised as the Turf World Championships, the HKIR is a week-long festival of racing which attracts top horses, trainers and jockeys from across the world to compete against Hong Kong’s finest. Highlights include the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) which features the world’s best jockeys, the Gala Dinner and LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award, and the HKIR on Sunday 11 December, which will see 46 horses from seven countries and jurisdictions compete in four Group One races.

Alongside the racing is a full schedule of racing and equestrian industry meetings, notably the Executive Councils of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), and the General Assembly of the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC). Chaired and hosted by the Club, several of whose executives hold leading positions on these bodies, these meetings underline Hong Kong’s leadership position in world racing. 

Guest of Honour, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, praised the Club for its professionalism and dedication throughout the pandemic, with the HKIR being no exception. The participation of prominent members of the global racing community is a clear vote of confidence in Hong Kong and its strength in global racing.

“The Hong Kong Jockey Club has successfully staged this flagship event over the years. This not only echoes our local saying that horseracing goes on as usual as a symbol for prosperity, but also showcases to the world Hong Kong’s position as a centre for global racing.

“The HKIR is widely recognised as the ‘Turf World Championships’. It draws leading horses, jockeys, trainers and owners from around the world to compete, and enjoys high standing among racing professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. I am very happy to see this flagship event coming up again this year and reinforcing our message to international audiences – Hong Kong is onstage again,” said Mr Chan.

Club Chairman Mr Michael Lee said: “I would especially like to thank the Chief Secretary for his kind words. Also, to say how much the Club appreciates the Government’s support for racing over the last three years. Thanks to the trust you have placed in the Club, Hong Kong has raced on throughout the pandemic. In doing so it has become a symbol to the world of the resilience and can-do spirit of our city. For just as Hong Kong is a centre for international finance – as we saw at the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit – it is increasingly a hub for world-class racing. This Sunday’s races alone will be broadcast to more than 80 countries and jurisdictions. We firmly believe in the globalisation of our sport and the many benefits this brings.” 

Presenting the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey to James McDonald, winner of nine of the World’s Top 100 Group/Grade 1 races this year, Club CEO also Chair of the IFHA Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “Nine years ago, LONGINES and the IFHA created the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award to recognise the achievements of our world-class athletes. We wanted to honour the best performing jockey each year and to celebrate his or her success as the best among their global peers. The greatest in our sport have stood on this stage, including Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore, and Hugh Bowman.

This year, we have a new name to add to our illustrious list. James McDonald has proven unstoppable, leading the rankings for most of the year. He wins this year’s LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award by an impressive margin of 46 points, finishing with 142 points. Ryan Moore, who has won the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey title three times, placed second with 96 points, and William Buick was third with 78 points. James McDonald proved victorious in nine of the world’s Top 100 Group or Grade 1 races, riding five champion horses: Anamoe, Cascadian, Home Affairs, Nature Strip, and Verry Elleegant.”