Hong Kong Racing Insights: Average Win Price Nearly $18 In 2024-2025 originally appeared on Paulick Report.
The 2024/25 Hong Kong racing season is about to finish with its 88th meet this Wednesday 16 July at 6:30am E.T., but as long as it is, it seems like we are back in September when it began. There is a rhyme and reason to it that keeps up interest to the very end, and time flies by. Like almost every season, favorites win around 33 percent of the time but the healthy average field size of 12.2 horses per races yields an average win price of almost $18.
As a betting adventure, it is the absolute best in the world. It has everything from low-rated handicap races up to 12 Group One international stakes races, which has been included into World Pool schedule starting from this season. All races have gigantic mutuel pools and they are spread out with starting gates that are full – 12 at Happy Valley and 14 at Sha Tin. The amount of information available on the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s website (link here) seems never ending. The more you look, the more you find.
Zac Purton, eight-time winner of the Champion Jockey titleHKJC photo
This season again, Zac Purton was the leading rider and takes an overwhelming lead into the last meet – a nine-race card at Happy Valley on Wednesday, July 16. The Australian superstar will finish with a win percentage over 23 percent. Next is Hugh Bowman at almost 12 percent.
Purton swept the board with the most wins on the Sha Tin turf course, the all-weather course, and the Happy Valley turf course. He finished the season with a flurry and shows no sign of aging at the age of 42. Hugh Bowman looked like he might make it a race but fell behind early and never made up any ground. Purton went to the front, never looked back and increased his lead until the wire. Yes, he rides his share of favorites, but you can’t see any difference in his riding effort in class five up to Group 1 stakes races.
Ellis Wong had a good year with 25 wins and his apprentice claim is down to five pounds. Britney Wong won 18 races despite not being eligible to ride at Happy Valley. She had eight wins on the all-weather track – only one behind Purton – and figures to be a force next season.
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The trainer race was close for most of the year but John Size took command late and was crowned champion trainer for the 13th time. David Hayes finished a solid second then there are 10 trainers that are within about 10 wins from each other. It was great to see so many stables be as competitive as they were and the parity made the challenge of handicapping worthwhile.
As for the horses, Hong Kong racing was led by Romantic Warrior, both here and abroad, and Voyage Bubble and Ka Ying Rising domestically.
Romantic Warrior won the G1 Hong Kong Cup and G1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai respectively this season. His loss in the US$20 million G1 Saudi Cup was gut wrenching then he went down to the narrowest of defeats in the G1 Dubai Turf. He is the world’s leading money winner and has set the bar extremely high. Win or lose (narrowly), Romantic Warrior was “Must See TV.”
Forever Young, outside, defeats Romantic Warrior in the Saudi Cup (G1)Hong Kong Jockey Club photo
Voyage Bubble had a sensational season at home, winning four Group 1 stakes races including the Hong Kong Triple Crown. Versatile at any distance, he has learned to switch off and await James McDonald’s cue. His finishing kick is electric and is capable of running anyone down.
Ka Ying Rising won all eight starts including four Group 1 stakes races. He can shade one minute and eight seconds going six furlongs without breaking a sweat, and his lone start going seven furlongs was an easy win in 1:20.33 seconds while carrying 126 pounds. Only four years old, he is training for a trip to Australia and the G1 Everest Stakes this Autumn.
I found the Hong Kong races to be especially formful and deep this season. There are a lot of developing horses moving up the class ladder and ready to take their place in the higher echelons next season. The summer break is a welcoming one but as we get closer to next season’s opening, I’ll be getting anxious to get started. You can bet on that!
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.