HKJC Sponsors $450 Million for Upcoming National Games in Hong Kong, Supporting Community Engagement and Volunteer Initiatives.

2025-06-26 19:00 Last Updated At：06-27 01:18

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) announced today (26 June) that it will provide HK$450 million to support the Hong Kong Competition Region in this year’s 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and 9th National Special Olympic Games (NGD & NSOG). This underlines the Club’s support for national sporting events and its strong commitment to promoting sports development together with the HKSAR Government.

The Signing Ceremony for The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Support for the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games in the Hong Kong Competition Region was held at the Central Government Offices today. The signing ceremony was witnessed by HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee. Signatories were HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law and Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. The Club and its Charities Trust are together providing a total of HK$450 million and will be the sole Partner Sponsor of the National Games and NGD & NSOG for the Hong Kong Competition Region, making them the highest-tier sponsor.

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15th NG, 12th NGD and 9th NSOG in Hong Kong to receive sponsorship from Hong Kong Jockey Club (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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15th NG, 12th NGD and 9th NSOG in Hong Kong to receive sponsorship from Hong Kong Jockey Club (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The National Games, held once every four years, are the nation’s highest-level and largest multi-sports event. This year will be the first time Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have co-hosted the National Games as well as the NGD & NSOG. This is a historic moment and a unique opportunity, not only to promote sportsmanship, health, and cohesion within the Greater Bay Area but also to showcase Hong Kong's ability to host major sports events.

Club Chairman Michael Lee extended his best wishes for the success of the National Games as well as the National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the National Special Olympic Games. He remarked that the Club, as a world-class sports organisation with a strong commitment to the country and Hong Kong, has consistently supported the advancement of the country’s sporting aspirations and development needs. For example, the Club funded the construction of the venues for the equestrian events of the Beijing Olympic Games and Guangzhou Asian Games as well as providing professional support. It also provided technical support for the Hangzhou Asian Games equestrian events. As such the Club is honoured to support these major sporting events. Indeed, the National Games will further strengthen the Greater Bay Area’s integration while also promoting institutional innovation through sport.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law emphasised that the successful hosting of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG is a major priority for Hong Kong this year. She highlighted that the staunch support and sponsorship from the HKJC would significantly boost event preparations in Hong Kong, particularly in supporting volunteer service programmes, territory-wide community and school promotional activities, and initiatives enabling underprivileged groups and youth to attend the events as spectators. She expressed gratitude for the HKJC’s contribution and reaffirmed Hong Kong’s commitment to co-hosting with Guangdong and Macao a simple, safe and wonderful Games.

The Club is also pleased to sponsor the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) to provide cash incentives under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS) to Hong Kong, China athletes who win medals at the National Games and NGD. The scheme has already rewarded Hong Kong, China athletes for their outstanding performances, including at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics and the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games. The Club wishes athletes the very best for the games and looks forward to their outstanding results.

In addition, around 100 members from the Club’s CARE@hkjc volunteer team will help out as Group Volunteers for the Hong Kong Competition Region. Sharing the Club’s purpose - for the betterment of society - the dedicated staff members will undergo 13 hours of training in preparation. Aside from showing their caring hearts, their involvement in the National Games Volunteer Programme exemplifies the Club's strong support for national sports development.v

As a world-class sports organisation rooted in Hong Kong, the Club has long been a staunch supporter of the country’s major regional and international multi-sports events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. Following the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, the Club developed Conghua Racecourse, transforming the former equestrian competition venue in Conghua district, Guangzhou, into a world-class horse training facility. The Club’s longtime collaboration with government authorities has significantly advanced cross-boundary co-operation with respect to horse transportation, quarantine, veterinary practices and the use of medications.

Over the years, the Club has promoted sports at both the community and elite levels through numerous initiatives, enabling people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to enjoy sports. Funded by the Club in partnership with the Government, the HKSI was established in 1982 (initially named the Jubilee Sports Centre) as a training base for elite local athletes. In 2021, the Club pledged HK$150 million to match the HKSAR Government’s HK$150 million grant for the Sports Science and Research Funding Scheme.

The 15th National Games will be held from 9 to 21 November 2025. Hong Kong will stage eight competition events: basketball (men’s U22), track cycling, fencing, golf, handball (men), rugby sevens, triathlon and beach volleyball, and one mass-participation event, bowling.

The NGD & NSOG will take place from 8 to 15 December 2025. Hong Kong will stage four competition events, namely boccia, wheelchair fencing and table tennis (TT11) for the NGD, and table tennis for the NSOG. There will also be a mass-participation para dance sports event.

Ka Ying Rising surges into Hong Kong racing history with 18th straight win

David Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising’s extraordinary dominance can continue indefinitely after the world’s premier sprinter demolished quality opposition to post a Hong Kong record 18th successive victory in course record time in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 February).

Stretching his unbeaten sequence beyond Silent Witness’ longstanding mark of 17 wins, slotted between 2002 and 2005, Ka Ying Rising imperiously steamrolled his opposition in 1m 19.36s to smash the previous course record of 1m 19.92s, jointly held by Encouraging and Packing Hermod.

Jockey Zac Purton confirmed Hayes had told him pre-race “to break the track record” after he had ridden Ka Ying Rising hands-and-heels to the finish, three-and-half-lengths clear of Helios Express with Lucky Sweynesse one-and-a-quarter lengths further astern.

Improving his overall record to 19 wins from 21 starts – after two narrow seconds as a three-year-old – Ka Ying Rising jumped quickly from barrier three to sit second behind Copartner Prance and clocked 21.93s from the 1200m to the 800m before putting his rivals to the sword over the final 800m in a blistering 43.96s, with respective 200m splits of 11.26s, 11.07s, 10.52s and 11.11s to create history.

Unbeaten since February 2024, Ka Ying Rising’s unbeaten streak includes eight Group 1s – two LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint victories (2024 & 2025), two Centenary Sprint Cup titles (2025 & 2026), The Everest (2025), the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (2025) and now a pair of Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup trophies (2025 & 2026).

Silent Witness reigned from December 2002 to April 2005, snaring seven top-level features – the Hong Kong Sprint in 2003 & 2004, two Centenary Sprint Cups (2004 & 2005), two Chairman’s Sprint Prize triumphs (2004 & 2005) and the 2005 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup.

The stunning nature of Ka Ying Rising’s latest victory prompted Hayes to declare that the five-year-old could sustain his current level of excellence for the next 18 months, fitness permitting.

“If we can place him conservatively, we hope to have him for another couple of seasons, that’s really exciting,” Hayes said. “He loves a month between runs, so we’ll probably go for the (G2) Sprint Cup (1200m) next (on 6 April) and then we don’t have to train him too hard and babysit him into the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m on 26 April).

“Hopefully we can get another clean sweep of the season again with The Everest in the middle.

“He’s more composed than ever, he’s changing legs and you can’t ask for much more than he’s doing. He’s breaking track records and his last three runs, he’d have broken the track record if Zac had let him go.

“He jumped so well (today) and cruised through the bend beautifully – at the 300m, I could really enjoy it. I could tell he had the race in command. Zac went for him a bit more than he normally does and rode to instructions, which was good.

“I’ve trained a lot of horses that have gone 742 days without winning, so to continuously win for 742 days is mind-numbing. It’s two and a half years and the thing people don’t realise is that he was the (equal) youngest horse in the race today. They always think he’s the big boy bashing them up, but he’s actually the baby.

“It’s a huge relief. I didn’t think the team could have had him better for today and I was confident that if the track was riding fast, he could break the (track) record. I didn’t want Zac sitting up in the last 100m, I said to him ‘let him run through the post and we’ll see how strong he is at 1400m’. He’s just a star.

“I just thought for his worldwide ratings, I wanted Zac to let him go today and hopefully he can keep climbing up that incredible ladder that he’s going up. When you’ve got a horse as good as him, he’s the one everyone will be comparing the next big horse too.”

Purton notched his fifth victory in the race following wins on Ambitious Dragon (2013) and Beauty Generation (2018, 2019 & 2020) and believes Ka Ying Rising has reached his peak.

“I think he’s reached his level and it’s just a matter of managing him now and try to preserve that for as long as we can,” Purton said. “He’s the horse of a lifetime. I just shake my head every time with the performances he puts up and the ease with which he does.

“I’ve just got to pinch myself, I’m so lucky. He’s just different – he’s in a league of his own. They’re very good horses that he’s racing against, and he just does it like he’s having a barrier trial and let’s hope he can stay in this form for another 12 or 18 months.

“It was pretty straightforward. He jumped well, he was in a lovely rhythm behind Copartner Prance. Patch Of Theta went to move around me about the 1200m and I just made sure I was going to give my horse plenty of room. And then he just did his job – he did what he does.

“To be etched in history now forever is part of my legacy, part of David’s and a part of Ka Ying Rising and hopefully he can continue on doing what he’s doing. We’re all enjoying being associated with him and I think everyone is enjoying watching him being successful as well.

“The horse deserves all the credit. He’s the one with the ability and he continues to step out, race after race, and blow good quality horses away and it’s very unique to see that.”

Currently the second-highest rated horse in the world, Ka Ying Rising also holds the 1200m turf course record (1m 07.20s).

Purton also triumphed aboard Manfred Man-trained debutant Almighty Lightning (128lb) in the Class 4 Daffodil Handicap (1000m), Cool Blue (122lb) for Chris So in the Class 5 Jasmine Handicap (1800m), Pierre Ng’s Aerovolanic (131lb) in the Class 4 Peach Blossom Handicap (1400m) and Cool Boy in the Class 3 Peony Handicap (1200m) for Jamie Richards.

Stellar Express (134lb) slotted his fifth course and distance success in the Class 2 Orchid Handicap (1000m), clocking 55.36s for John Size and Andrea Atzeni. Formerly known as Dariym, the Zoustar gelding won three races in France when trained by Francis-Henri Graffard.

Frankie Lor notched a treble, prevailing with the talented Smart Golf in the Class 4 Heung Yee Kuk Centenary Cup Handicap (1200m) under Harry Bentley, Embrace Aberdeen (135lb) in the Class 4 Gladiolus Handicap (1200m) under Matthew Poon before the impressive Salon S clinched the Class 3 Rose Handicap (1400m) to give Poon a treble.

Poon also triumphed on David Hall’s Power Of Vitam landed the Class 3 Primula Handicap (1600m) and earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million after All’s Well bolted in with the Class 4 Peach Blossom Handicap (1400m) under Dylan Browne McMonagle for Dennis Yip.

Hong Kong racing continues on Wednesday night (25 February) at Happy Valley.

HKJC Sponsors $450 Million for Upcoming National Games in Hong Kong, Supporting Community Engagement and Volunteer Initiatives.

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