Hong Kong horse racing season kicks off with a 74 percent rise in visitors

The Hong Kong Jockey Club's 2026/2027 racing season kicked off at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sept. 6, 2026. The Season Opening raceday drew more than 43,000 spectators, including over 12,000 visitors from the Chinese mainland and overseas, marking a 74 percent year-on-year increase over the previous season.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club's 2026/2027 racing season kicks off at Sha Tin Racecourse, Sept. 6, 2026. (Zhang Yujie)

At the opening ceremony, John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), struck a gong to officially declare the new racing season open.

According to The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), the 2026/27 season will feature 88 race days, including 12 Group 1 races. HKJC will continue to upgrade its diverse on-course facilities, with the goal of building its racecourses into world-class sports and entertainment hubs and further boosting the global appeal of Hong Kong's horse racing tourism.

Lee said on social media the same day that horse racing is a unique cultural icon of Hong Kong and a key engine driving the city's "event economy." He noted that the city's two racecourses welcomed more than 400,000 domestic and overseas visitors throughout the previous racing season, a testament to the steady progress of policies rolled out after the 2024 Policy Address put forward the active promotion of horse racing tourism.

The feature race—the HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup, Sept. 6, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Wu Yuyangyang)

A total of 10 thrilling races were staged on opening day, with the third race — the HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup — as the feature race. Ka Ying Rising shattered his own Sha Tin track record with a dominant victory, stretching his winning streak to a Hong Kong record 21 consecutive wins.

"It's absolutely thrilling to watch it make history again," said Hunter, an American tourist who traveled specially to cheer on Ka Ying Rising. "The atmosphere here is incredible, you can feel the warmth and energy of Hong Kong. I'll definitely be recommending Hong Kong's horse racing events to all my friends back home."

Interns Zhang Yujie contributed to the video.