Hong Kong International Attendance, Handle Up

The Hong Kong Jockey Club reported attendance and handle for the Hong Kong International Races Dec. 14 were the best for the international event since 1997.



HKJC said the on-track crowd at Sha Tin totaled 74,070, with customers at Happy Valley pushing local attendance to 78,000, highest since 2000. As well as increased attendance, the world-class racing pushed turnover for the day past HK$1.468 billion, the highest since 1997 and an increase of 7.6% on 2013.



"It has been another great Hong Kong International Races week and today we have ended with a fantastic racing event as the highlight. It's been a perfect way to celebrate the club's 130th anniversary season," said Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.



"To have 78,000 people attending is a fantastic result and shows that Hong Kong racing has a genuine vibrancy and is relevant to our customers. We are happy with what we have achieved and now, as we always do, we must look at ways to set the bar even higher."



"We now have 15 simulcast days and I think Hong Kong is now waking up and is having the exposure to great international events overseas," Bill Nader, HKJC's director of racing, said of the event's success. "This day today certainly fits among the world's best racing occasions on the global calendar."



Nader also noted a new benchmark in commingling, a new initiative in which bettors overseas can watch Hong Kong races and wager into local pools.



"Today the commingling pool was a new record for us of HK$56 million and it is steadily growing. I expect that will just get bigger and bigger and it is great for our brand that we can take our racing in Hong Kong and showcase it overseas," he said