Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges was “cautiously optimistic” the Jockey Club could broker a deal with the Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) to hold racing at Happy Valley during next year’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens week.
Long one of the real head scratchers of one of the city’s biggest weeks, the regular “Happy Wednesday” party is replaced by a soulless Sha Tin dirt meeting while the HKFC Tradition 10s takes place in the Happy Valley infield.
While a few tourists trudged out to Sha Tin last Wednesday, many were left disappointed they could not take in one of Hong Kong’s most popular attractions while in town for the rugby.
At a time when the Hong Kong government is all in on horse racing tourism – Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui told the Post last week the city was using it to attract high-spending visitors – it seems a no-brainer that officials work together to ensure the Happy Valley races can complement the 10s and Hong Kong Sevens week.
Action from the HKFC 10s. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
“The hope next year is that we can make a real racing tourism attraction around the rugby with racing on the Wednesday, hopefully, in the Valley,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges, adding that one of his reasons for optimism was last year’s appointment of former Hong Kong China Rugby CEO, Robbie McRobbie, as the Jockey Club’s executive manager of charities (sports).
“We have tried this for I don’t know how many years but I am a little bit more optimistic that next year maybe it can happen. That would be perfect,” Engelbrecht-Bresges added.
“In the end, it’s a decision of the Football Club. They have the right to hold the 10s and if they say no, it’s no. There’s nothing we can do about it.
“We have made multiple attempts and I can understand they see certain financial [negatives]. I have a little more of an optimistic view that this could be resolved.”
Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. Photo: SCMP
The HKFC’s hold on that particular Wednesday night is part of a long-standing agreement dating back to when Happy Valley racecourse was expanded in the 1990s and the HKFC’s facilities had to be completely rebuilt, with its pitches shifted into the middle of the racecourse.
On a normal Wednesday night, the Happy Valley infield is cleared of all sporting activities at least half an hour before the first race.
For the racing to take place on the Wednesday of the first day of the 2026 10s, the rugby would have to finish around 6pm – about three hours earlier than it did this year.
“I’m cautiously optimistic we can create a win-win situation and it would be good for Hong Kong,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said.
The Hong Kong Sevens ends with a fireworks display at Kai Tak Stadium on Sunday. Photo: Eugene Lee
“It’s not mission impossible, but one has to see if maybe one can create events for [the HKFC] in their facilities because probably they are afraid everyone goes over [to the races] and then their bars are empty.
“From our side there is flexibility because we don’t have to race at that time at Sha Tin, but we have to submit the fixtures to get approval in April or May.”
Engelbrecht-Bresges spent Saturday at the Sevens and was full of praise for Kai Tak Stadium.
“I think as a stadium, in principle, it’s amazing. The atmosphere I saw was extremely good,” he said. “I talked to a lot of international guests who were really complimentary. It gives Hong Kong a stage for international tourism and sports events which we didn’t have before. It was fantastic.”
