The Longines Hong Kong Sprint is a prestigious Group 1 race held annually in December at Sha Tin Racecourse. It was first run in 1999 and achieved Group 1 status in 2002.
Key Developments
- Inaugural Race (1999): The race debuted as a Listed race over 1,000 meters and was won by the acclaimed local horse Fairy King Prawn.
- Rapid Elevation: It quickly gained prominence, becoming a Group 3 in 2000, Group 2 in 2001, and finally an international Group 1 race in 2002.
- Distance Change (2006): The distance was increased from 1,000 meters to its current 1,200 meters to align with the Global Sprint Challenge series, of which it became the final leg.
Notable Winners
The Hong Kong Sprint has been won by many world-class sprinters, with several horses securing multiple victories:
- Silent Witness (2003, 2004): A legendary Hong Kong sprinter who set records.
- Falvelon (2000, 2001): An Australian gelding who won twice before the race achieved G1 status.
- Sacred Kingdom (2007, 2009): Another standout Hong Kong champion.
- Lord Kanaloa (2012, 2013): A Japanese powerhouse who won back-to-back editions.
- Aerovelocity (2014, 2016) and Mr Stunning (2017, 2018): Both are dual winners of the event.
- Wellington (2022) and Lucky Sweynesse (2023): Recent top local sprinters.
- Ka Ying Rising (2024, 2025): The current champion, noted for a significant winning streak.
Here are the winners from the modern international G1 era:
|
Year
|
Winner
|
Jockey / Trainer Notes
|
|---|---|---|
|
2025
|
Ka Ying Rising
|
Zac Purton / David Hayes (Hong Kong); Second consecutive win, dominant performance tying Golden Sixty’s 16-win streak
|
|
2024
|
Ka Ying Rising
|
Zac Purton / David Hayes (Hong Kong); First of two wins
|
|
2023
|
Lucky Sweynesse
|
Zac Purton / Manfred Man (Hong Kong)
|
|
2022
|
Wellington
|
Alexis Badel / Jamie Richards (Hong Kong)
|
|
2021
|
Sky Field
|
Blake Shinn / Caspar Fownes (Hong Kong)
|
|
2020
|
Danon Smash (JPN)
|
Ryan Moore / Takayuki Yasuda (Japan)
|
|
2019
|
Beat The Clock
|
Karis Teetan / John Size (Hong Kong)
|
|
2018
|
Mr Stunning
|
Karis Teetan / John Size (Hong Kong); Second win
|
|
2017
|
Mr Stunning
|
Nash Rawiller / John Size (Hong Kong)
|
|
2016
|
Aerovelocity (NZ)
|
Zac Purton / Paul O’Sullivan (Hong Kong); Second win
|
|
2015
|
Peniaphobia (IRE)
|
Douglas Whyte / Tony Cruz (Hong Kong)
|
|
2014
|
Aerovelocity (NZ)
|
Zac Purton / Paul O’Sullivan (Hong Kong)
|
|
2013
|
Lord Kanaloa (JPN)
|
Yasunari Iwata / Takayuki Yasuda (Japan); Second win
|
|
2012
|
Lord Kanaloa (JPN)
|
Yasunari Iwata / Takayuki Yasuda (Japan)
|
|
2011
|
Lucky Nine (IRE)
|
Brett Prebble / Caspar Fownes (Hong Kong)
|
|
2010
|
J J The Jet Plane (SAF)
|
Piere Strydom / Lucky Houdalakis (South Africa)
|
|
2009
|
Sacred Kingdom
|
Brett Prebble / Ricky Yiu (Hong Kong); Second win
|
|
2008
|
Inspiration
|
Olivier Doleuze / John Moore (Hong Kong)
|
|
2007
|
Sacred Kingdom
|
Gérald Mossé / Ricky Yiu (Hong Kong)
|
|
2006
|
Absolute Champion (AUS)
|
Brett Prebble / David Hall (Hong Kong)
|
|
2005
|
Silent Witness (AUS)
|
Felix Coetzee / Tony Cruz (Hong Kong); Second win (race at 1200m from this year)
|
|
2004
|
Silent Witness (AUS)
|
Felix Coetzee / Tony Cruz (Hong Kong)
|
|
2003
|
Silent Witness (AUS)
|
Felix Coetzee / Tony Cruz (Hong Kong)
|
|
2002
|
All Thrills Too
|
Gérald Mossé / David Hayes (Hong Kong)
|
|
2001
|
Falvelon (AUS)
|
Damien Oliver / Danny Bougoure (Australia); Second win
|
|
2000
|
Falvelon (AUS)
|
Damien Oliver / Danny Bougoure (Australia)
|
|
1999
|
Fairy King Prawn (AUS)
|
Steven King / Ivan Allan (Hong Kong); First running as international race
|
Record holders:
- Most wins (2): Ka Ying Rising (2024–2025), Mr Stunning (2017–2018), Aerovelocity (2014, 2016), Lord Kanaloa (2012–2013), Sacred Kingdom (2007, 2009), Silent Witness (2003–2005, including pre-1200m era), Falvelon (2000–2001)
- The race has been dominated by Hong Kong-trained horses, with notable international successes from Japan, Australia, and South Africa. Ka Ying Rising is widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters in Hong Kong history, with his back-to-back wins showcasing exceptional dominance.
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