Sha Tin draws record Mainland crowd as Ka Ying Rising headlines FWD Champions Day
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has reported one of its strongest FWD Champions Day meetings in years, with more than 46,000 attending Sha Tin on 27 April as Ka Ying Rising, Red Lion and Tastiera claimed Group 1 wins.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has described its 2025 FWD Champions Day meeting as one of the strongest editions in recent years, following a race day at Sha Tin on Sunday 27 April that drew an overall attendance of 46,186.
The figure included a meeting record of 8,244 visitors from Mainland China, alongside 1,083 international attendees. HKJC Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the turnout and reaction reflected the club’s strategy of combining elite racing with entertainment.
Group 1 results
Three Group 1 races anchored the card. Ka Ying Rising, rated the world’s top sprinter, won the HK$22 million (£2.2m) Chairman’s Sprint Prize over six furlongs. Red Lion took the HK$24 million (£2.4m) FWD Champions Mile after a close finish with Voyage Bubble that also led to a stewards’ inquiry. Japan’s Tastiera, winner of the Japanese Derby, claimed the HK$28 million (£2.8m) FWD QEII Cup over one mile two furlongs, with Prognosis second and Bahrain runner Calif finishing third.
Engelbrecht-Bresges praised the quality of the fields and the competitiveness of the racing, particularly among Hong Kong-trained milers, and noted the appearance of runners from a new participating jurisdiction.
Liberty Island injury
The meeting was marked by the loss of champion Japanese mare Liberty Island, who suffered a leg injury during the FWD QEII Cup and could not be saved. Engelbrecht-Bresges paid tribute to the horse, calling the incident a low point in an otherwise successful day.
Turnover and international betting
Total turnover reached HK$1.52 billion, a slight decrease compared with 2024. However, Engelbrecht-Bresges pointed to nearly 10 percent growth in overseas betting turnover, which he attributed to the continued development of World Pool commingling arrangements. He said this growth demonstrated the resilience of Hong Kong racing despite wider geopolitical and economic pressures.
Andrew Harding, HKJC Executive Director of Racing, highlighted the standard and range of horses recruited for the meeting as a key factor behind its success, along with the participation of new jurisdictions. Both executives thanked sponsor FWD for its continued backing of the event, which also featured performances from K-pop artist MINNIE of (G)I-DLE and singer Joey Yung during the pre-race parade ring proceedings.
The release was issued by the Hong Kong Jockey Club via Square in the Air Communications.