Hong Kong Jockey Club to aid development of horse racing in China

The Hong Kong Jockey Club will assist horse-racing organizations in mainland China in developing the sport and implementing drug-testing protocols over the next several years as part of an agreement with China’s racing regulatory body, the two organizations announced jointly on Thursday at a press conference in Beijing.

The agreement could be a first step in the growth of the Chinese horse-racing industry, which is small by any measure and suffers from a formal, national ban on gambling. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, a nonprofit that administers all aspects of racing in Hong Kong, is viewed as a model around the world and benefits from Hong Kong’s vibrant gambling culture and the steep history of racing in the former British colony.

“Assisting the [Chinese Equestrian Association] to build capabilities and processes to further develop and administer the sport with an advanced focus on integrity is key,” said the HKJC’s chief executive, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.

The assistance will include a collaboration between the two organizations to administer the final leg of the China Horse Racing Grand Prix, scheduled for Nov. 7 at Jinma Racecourse in Weijiang, near Chengdu.

Only a handful of racetracks operate on the mainland, and the annual foal crop is believed to be approximately 600 horses, according to a presentation given by HKJC officials at a recent conference. Many of the tracks have been closed periodically by Chinese authorities because of the alleged operation of gambling rings, according to the presentation.

U.S. breeders have kept close eyes on China as the country has experienced booming economic growth over the past two decades.