The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) will launch the 2025/2026 racing season on 7 September with a game-changing racecourse arrival and customer experience at Grandstand II, Sha Tin Racecourse. Champions Connection will connect arriving visitors with an immersive digital environment inspired by horse and nature, while Gensō Eki will provide digital horse racing experiences in an immersive dining and digital entertainment venue. Both will further promote horse racing and the racecourse as a must-go experience for both locals and tourists, particularly the younger generation.
The Club’s Chief Executive Officer, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “The Club is a world-class sport and entertainment organisation. We strive to make our racing and vibrant racecourse entertainment an iconic attraction to the local people and visitors from the Mainland and overseas. The Club has invested more than HK$10 billion into a multi-year Racecourse Master Plan to systematically revitalise Sha Tin and Happy Valley Racecourses. It is our plan to invest another HK$4 billion in the next phase to transform our racecourses. This is a key enabler of the Club’s vision to develop our racecourses into world-class sport and entertainment centres. By upgrading, altering and re-building our venues at the racecourses, we have transformed them from one for ‘hardcore gambling’ to a destination which attracts Hong Kong, Mainland and overseas customers to enjoy a platinum race-going experience with our world-class sport and live entertainment.
“In addition, we have continued to ramp up our trackside entertainments as we believe that the best way to attract and retain the loyalty of fans is through the live race-going experience. We are pleased to see our racing and racecourse entertainment has been gaining increasing popularity in the Mainland and overseas. In the last racing season, we welcomed more than 1.7 million racegoers, including over 195,000 Mainland visitors. A significant number are from the younger generation, who admire horse racing and are eager to learn more through digital and interactive experiences at the racecourses.
“Champions Connection and Gensō Eki, with their cutting-edge digital technology and vibrant, modern settings, will redefine the arrival and racecourse experience for racegoers, particularly the younger generation, cultivating a greater interest in the sport of horse racing. We look forward to seeing these new attractions make a big contribution to racing tourism, an important pillar of Hong Kong’s tourism development with significant economic and social value.”
Engelbrecht-Bresges added: “Another exciting initiative underway is the ongoing renovation of Penfold Park. In January 2026, the park will have all enhancement works completed and fully reopen, followed by the addition of a new attraction, Pony World, in April. The connectivity with Grandstand II will also be improved later. Designed to strengthen Penfold Park’s appeal as a family-friendly destination for both Hongkongers and tourists, Pony World will offer educational activities and foster a culture of horse appreciation. Access to Penfold Park will initially be limited to non-race days, while the Club is formulating appropriate safeguards that would allow entry on racedays while maintaining a strict separation from any wagering activities.”
Champions Connection: an arrival hub connecting visitors with racing