The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Major General Guy Watkins and offers its profound condolences to his family and friends.

Major General Watkins served with distinction as the Club’s Chief Executive from 1986 to 1996. He will be fondly remembered as a charismatic and influential leader who played a key role in the Club’s development.

During his tenure the Club realised significant milestones including the launch of the Hong Kong Invitation Cup in 1988 as the city’s first international race. Later renamed the Hong Kong Cup, it put the city on the global racing map and laid the foundation for today’s world-renowned Hong Kong International Races meeting.

A desire to expand racing was the inspiration behind the redevelopment of Happy Valley Racecourse between 1993 and 1995. This saw the site’s two tracks merged into one and extended to accommodate more runners, increasing turnover and boosting the quality and competitiveness of races. It established an iconic racing venue in the heart of the city that now attracts thousands of local and international visitors each week.

In addition, the Major General regularly met sports officials in the Chinese Mainland and underlined the valuable role that racing plays in the lives of Hong Kong citizens, not only in the money it generates for the community, but also in the entertainment it provides. In further signs of the Club’s commitment to horse sports, it opened public riding schools in Tuen Mun and Lei Yue Mun and redeveloped its Beas River facility.

During this period the Club also supported many significant charity and community initiatives. They included construction of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 1991 to inspire a shift towards a technology-driven economy. The Major General played a crucial role in supporting the university’s early development and strategic direction as a member of its governing body.

Importantly, it was also during his tenure that The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust was established in 1993 to bring the Club’s community contributions under one roof. This new entity was better equipped to reflect the evolving nature, scale and scope of the Club’s donations to improve the lives of Hong Kong people. Today the Trust is the largest charitable donor in Asia and one of the biggest worldwide.

Underlining its continuing commitment to developing and promoting sports in Hong Kong, the Club funded the redevelopment of Hong Kong Stadium, which reopened in 1994 as a modern venue to host international events. The following year it established The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course to make the sport more accessible to people of all ages, with the Major General himself a keen golfer.

The Club also funded the development of Hong Kong Park and redevelopment of Kowloon Park to provide leisure and recreational facilities in the heart of an urban area.

Major General Watkins’ last visit to Hong Kong was in December 2024 as a Club invitee to the Hong Kong International Races. He also visited the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which was constructed with funding from the Club’s Charities Trust. He complimented the world-class standard of Hong Kong racing and was impressed by the Club’s achievements in charity and community contribution since his retirement. All of this, however, was made possible by the strong foundations he and other dedicated Club leaders helped to build.

Beyond the Major General’s single-minded resourcefulness, what Club colleagues who worked with him remember most is the trust and encouragement he gave them at all times to overcome challenges in the interests of acting for the betterment of Hong Kong society.