It’s almost three months since Hennu Stall dead-heated for second at Macau’s last-ever race meeting and connections are no closer to knowing when their four-year-old will run again.

While half a dozen Macau horses touched down in Hong Kong last week to continue their careers in the city, and a host of the gambling hub’s gallopers have been taken to mainland China, owners wanting to race their gallopers in Australia and New Zealand remain in limbo.

“He’s healthy and happy, we just need to get him out,” said Jenny Chapman, who is one of 15 members of the Fabulous Fillies Syndicate which owns Hennu Stall.

“He’s only four. We’re just sitting here waiting for something to happen and I’m worried that they’re going to drag it out.

“We’ve only got a year to get them out of Macau and we’re paying HK$8,000 a month to make sure he’s fed, watered and looked after. If we get to that point, what do we do?”

After saying back in March that transport to New Zealand would be arranged for June or July, the Macau Jockey Club is yet to offer horse owners any clarity and is now suggesting a flight in August or September is the best-case scenario.

While Chapman confirmed the MJC has committed to covering transport costs up to HK$200,000 per galloper, a lack of horses on the flight could see costs skyrocket.

The MJC has estimated a price of HK$161,800 “per horse landed in New Zealand” but it reached that figure based on the total costs being shared by 36 horses.

It is believed that at last count, as few as 11 owners had committed to putting their horses on the flight as months of waiting and the potential for high costs sees interest wane.

There will also be additional costs for those horses continuing onto Australia, with quarantine regulations preventing a direct flight.

On top of the very real possibility the HK$200,000 subsidy does not cover transport costs, owners will have to foot a bill north of HK$50,000 to cover the mandatory 28 days quarantine in Macau and 14 days in New Zealand.

This period of limbo is the latest blow for Macau owners after they found out in January that racing in the city would cease just 10 weeks later on March 30.

Hennu Stall had only been in Macau for 10 months when his racing career was brought to a halt, having been bought by the Fabulous Fillies Syndicate to run in a 2024 Macau Derby that never eventuated.

Part of the last shipment of horses to Macau in June last year, Hennu Stall cost connections more than HK$100,000 to import.

While the Macau Jockey Club offered incentives to the tune of HK$70,000 in betting vouchers across the first 18 months to encourage owners to ship horses to the city, the Fabulous Fillies Syndicate only saw a portion of what was promised.

“We got the one HK$20,000 voucher and they did give us HK$5,000 in betting vouchers per month to offset some of the training fees, which are between HK$25,000 and HK$30,000 per month,” Chapman said.

“I think the biggest disappointment is nothing was in place to send horses to New Zealand when they announced the sudden closure of racing.”

The Geoff Allendorf-trained Hennu Stall showed potential on his way to a win, five placings and HK$271,400 in prize money from nine starts.

Chapman, who is part of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s broadcast team, is confident Hennu Stall can win races in Australia should connections get him there, but the reality is the son of Alpine Eagle could be looking at anywhere up to a year between runs.

“It’s almost getting to the point where I might have to race him in Malaysia. I don’t want to if I can help it, but I think that’s our best alternative if we can’t get him back to Australia,” she said.

The MJC has not responded to questions sent by the Post regarding its plans.