China News Service, Hong Kong, September 6 (Reporter Liu Yueqing) The Hong Kong Jockey Club ("Jockey Club") 2026/2027 horse racing season kicked off on the 6th at the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. It attracted more than 43,000 spectators, including more than 12,200 mainland and overseas tourists. The number of tourists increased by 74% year-on-year.
At the opening ceremony, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Lee Ka-chiu, the Secretary for Home Affairs and Youth Affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mak Mei-kuen, the Jockey Club Chairman Liu Changjiang, the Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Ying Jiabao and others participated in the traditional lion eye-dotting ceremony and gong opening ceremony; the Jockey Club's Year of the Horse Ambassador and Hong Kong artist Aaron Kwok sang the annual theme song "Chong Chong Chong" live.
A total of 10 events were staged on the opening day. Hong Kong horse king "Jia Ying Gaosheng" won the championship of the highlight event "Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive's Cup". This is the third consecutive year that he has won the cup. This time he has set a record of winning 21 consecutive games across seasons. After the game, Li Jiachao presented the trophy to the "Jiaying Gaosheng" team.
Erin and her husband from Australia took advantage of their vacation to watch the opening of the new horse racing season in Hong Kong. Erin held a banner supporting "Jia Ying Gaosheng" and told a reporter from China News Service that the two often watch horse racing in Australia and also like the lively atmosphere of Hong Kong. "The facilities at Sha Tin Racecourse are complete, the racing conditions are exciting, and the audience is full of energy. This is an unforgettable experience." She said that she will share the photos and experience of watching the race with her relatives and friends, and recommend them to visit Hong Kong.
Lu, a student from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, has been following horse racing for many years. He has been watching live broadcasts through online channels in the past, and it was his first time to watch the race live that day. He said that when you visit the racecourse in person, you can feel the enthusiasm and the cheers from the audience bring a completely different experience. As a supporter of "Jiaying Gaosheng" and witnessed its 21 consecutive victories, he bluntly said, "It's not surprising, it always brings wonderful performances."
It is reported that the "Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive's Cup" was established in the 1997/1998 horse racing season and was the first horse racing competition after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This cup has become an annual event in Hong Kong.
Li Jiachao posted on the social platform on the 6th that horse racing is a unique cultural symbol of Hong Kong and an important engine that promotes the event economy. In the future, the SAR government will continue to cooperate with all walks of life to organize more large-scale events to attract tourists from home and abroad to come to Hong Kong, experience Hong Kong's unique charm as a crossroads of Chinese and Western cultures and an international tourism hub, and jointly tell the story of Hong Kong.
