The Hong Kong Cup headlines the Hong Kong International Races, which is billed as the biggest racing event in Asia and one of the richest races in the world.

  • Race Type: Group 1
  • Distance: 2000 metres
  • Track: Sha Tin Racecourse
  • Date: Sunday, 10 December 2023

Sponsored by Cathay Pacific, the Hong Kong Cup is a Group One race for three-year-olds and older. It is run in mid-December and contested over 2000 metres on Sha Tin Racecourse’s turf track. The Hong Kong Cup’s purse is HK$20,000,000 (approximately US$2,600,000).

Other Group One races held during the International Race Day are the Hong Kong Mile, 1600 metres; the Hong Kong Vase, 2400 metres; and the Hong Kong Sprint, 1200 metres. The total purse for all four races is HK$62,000,000 (US$7,980,000).

Previous winners of the Hong Kong Cup:

Designs On Rome, with Joao Moreira up and trained by John Moore, won the 2014 cup. The five-year-old toured the 2000 metres in 2.01.96. Other recent winners include: Akeed Mofeed in 2013, California Memory in 2012, Alexander Goldrun, 2004; Falbrav, 2003; Precision, 2002; Agnes Digital, 2001; Fantastic Light, 2000; Jim and Tonic, 1999; Midnight Bet, 1998; Val’s Prince, 1997; First Island, 1996; and Fujiyama Kenzan, the oldest winner at seven, 1995.

Frankie Dettori is the only jockey to have won the Hong Kong Cup three times. He was aboard Fantastic Light in 2000, Falbrav in 2003 and Ramonti in 2007. Gerald Mosse guided River Verdon to victory in 1991 and Jim and Tonic in 1999. California Memory is the only horse to have won the race twice (2011 and 2012).

Year Winner Second Third
2022 Romantic Warrior Luxembourg Hishi Iguazu
2023 Romantic Warrior Danon The Kid Money Catcher
2021 Loves Only You Hishi Iguazu Russian Emperor
2020 Normcore Win Bright Magical
2019 Win Bright Magic Wand Rise High
2018 Glorious Forever Deirdre Time Warp
2017 Time Warp Werther Neorealism
2016 Maurice Secret Weapon Staphanos
2015 A Shin Hikari Nuovo Record Blazing Speed
2014 Designs On Rome Military Attack Criterion
2013 Akeed Mofeed Tokei Halo Cirrus Des Aigles
2012 California Memory Giofra Alcopop
2011 California Memory Irian Zazou
2010 Snow Fairy Irian Packing Winner
2009 Vision d’Etat Collection Presvis
2008 Eagle Mountain Balius Linngari
2007 Ramonti Viva Pataca Musical Way
2006 Pride Admire Moon Vengeance Of Rain
2005 Vengeance Of Rain Pride Maraahel
2004 Alexander Goldrun Bullish Luck Touch Of Land
2003 Falbrav Rakti Elegant Fashion
2002 Precision Paolini Dano-Mast
2001 Agnes Digital Tobougg Terre A Terre
2000 Fantastic Light Greek Dance Jim And Tonic

Flying Dancer was the winner of the inaugural Hong Kong Invitation cup, which was run in January, 1988. The race was limited to horses from Malaysia and Singapore.

Horses from Australia and New Zealand were added in 1989. In 1990 horses from Europe were admitted and those from the United States became eligible in 1991. Canadian and Japanese trained horses were added in 1992.

In 1990 the race was moved to mid December, except for 1992 when the race was run in April, 1993, because of a equine virus which forced temporary suspension of racing in Hong Kong.