| Location | Sha Tin Racecourse Hong Kong, China |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1988 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Cathay Pacific |
| Website | Hong Kong Jockey Club |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2,000 metres (1¼ miles) |
| Track | Turf, right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
| Weight | 123 lb (3y); 126 lb (4y+) Allowances 4 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | HK$20,000,000 (2009) 1st: HK$11,400,000 |
The Hong Kong Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December.
The race was first run on January 24, 1988, and its distance was initially set at 1800 metres. The inaugural running was restricted to horses trained in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Added to this list for the following season were horses from Australia and New Zealand. The race was switched to December for its third running, therefore taking place twice within 1989. Horses trained in Europe were admitted in 1990, followed by those from the United States in 1991, and Canada and Japan in 1992. The distance was increased to its present length, 2,000 metres, in 1999. Also at this time the race was promoted to Group 1 status.
The Hong Kong Cup is one of the four Hong Kong International Races, and it presently offers a purse of HK$20,000,000 (approximately US$2.58 million).
Speed record: (at present distance of 2,000 metres)
Most wins:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
| 1988 | Flying Dancer | 5 | Bartie Leisher | Brian Kan Ping-chee | Lim Por-yen | 1:48.60 |
| 1989 | Colonial Chief | 4 | Tony Cruz | Ivan W. Allan | Promise Stable | 1:49.30 |
| 1989 | Grey Invader | 4 | Gary Stewart | Alvin Clark | E. J. Johnson et al. | 1:48.00 |
| 1990 | Kessem | 5 | Kevin Moses | Brian Smith | B. Duncan et al. | 1:48.40 |
| 1991 | River Verdon | 4 | Gérald Mossé | David Hill | Cheung / Arculli | 1:49.80 |
| 1992 | Romanee Conti [1] | 4 | Greg Childs | Laurie Laxon | Peter & Philip Vela | 1:48.20 |
| 1993 | Motivation | 5 | John Marshall | John Moore | Mr & Mrs Hui Sai Fun | 1:49.20 |
| 1994 | State Taj | 5 | Damien Oliver | James L. Riley | Neville Begg & Partners | 1:48.40 |
| 1995 | Fujiyama Kenzan | 7 | Masayoshi Ebina | Hideyuki Mori | Tatsuya Fujimoto | 1:47.00 |
| 1996 | First Island | 4 | Michael Hills | Geoff Wragg | Mollers Racing | 1:48.20 |
| 1997 | Val's Prince | 5 | Cash Asmussen | James E. Picou | Martin / Weiner | 1:47.20 |
| 1998 | Midnight Bet | 4 | Hiroshi Kawachi | Hiroyuki Nagahama | Shadai Racehorse Co. Ltd. | 1:46.90 |
| 1999 | Jim and Tonic | 5 | Gérald Mossé | François Doumen | John D. Martin | 2:01.40 |
| 2000 | Fantastic Light | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:02.20 |
| 2001 | Agnes Digital | 4 | Hirofumi Shii | Toshiaki Shirai | Takao Watanabe | 2:02.80 |
| 2002 | Precision | 4 | Michael Kinane | David Oughton | Wu Sai Wing | 2:07.10 |
| 2003 | Falbrav | 5 | Frankie Dettori | Luca Cumani | Sc. Rencati / Yoshida | 2:00.90 |
| 2004 | Alexander Goldrun | 3 | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | Miriam O'Callaghan | 2:03.30 |
| 2005 | Vengeance of Rain | 4 | Anthony Delpech | David E. Ferraris | R. G. Chow Hon Man | 2:04.50 |
| 2006 | Pride | 6 | Christophe Lemaire | Alain de Royer-Dupré | NP Bloodstock Ltd | 2:01.60 |
| 2007 | Ramonti | 5 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:02.80 |
| 2008 | Eagle Mountain | 4 | Kevin Shea | Mike de Kock | M. bin K. Al Maktoum | 2:00.92 |
| 2009 | Vision d'Etat | 4 | Olivier Peslier | Eric Libaud | Detré / Libaud | 2:01.86 |
| 2010 | Snow Fairy | 3 | Ryan Moore | Ed Dunlop | Anamoine Limited | 2:02.94 |
| 2011 | California Memory | 5 | Matthew Chadwick | Anthony S. Cruz | Howard Liang Yum Shing | 2:04.57 |
1 The "1992" race actually took place in April 1993 – it had been postponed in December due to an equine virus.