The Hong Kong Jockey Club is partnering with the Chinese Equestrian Association to promote world-standard thoroughbred racing on the Chinese mainland.
The strategic alliance commences with the Jockey Club’s sponsorship of the China Horse Racing Grand Prix to be held November 7 at Jinma Racecourse in Wenjiang, about an hour outside Chengdu in Sichuan province.
The club also is providing on-site classes and training for jockeys, racing stewards and judges and aiding in the development of advanced drug-testing protocols.
Race betting is illegal in China, and HKJC Chief Executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the alliance is focused on providing business expertise and advice on generating revenues through sponsorships and other marketing ventures.
“Having been invited by our valued partner the Chinese Equestrian Association to contribute towards the sustainable development of horseracing as a sport in China, we have identified key areas where we can take the existing footprint of speed racing to a new level of performance and regulation,” he told the English-language South China Morning Post.
The HKJC has in the past provided assistance with other gaming and sporting ventures on the mainland, such as assisting with software and risk management for the China Sports Lottery. The club also contributed HK$1.2 billion to construct facilities for equestrian events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
