Hong Kong Horse Racing Calendar

Above are the Key dates for the 2026/27 season

These dates come from the Hong Kong Jockey Club's published fixtures for the 2026/27 season.

Hong Kong Horse Racing Calendar from the Hong Kong International Races and Gold Cup to the Hong Kong Derby and Champions Day, with the key 2026/27 dates.

Happy Valley View

Hong Kong's racing season at a glance

Hong Kong racing is different from everywhere else on this list. There's one governing body, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, two racecourses, and a single season that runs from September to July rather than a calendar year.

Racing happens most Sundays at Sha Tin in the New Territories, and on Wednesday nights at Happy Valley, a floodlit track in the middle of the city, surrounded by tower blocks.

The quality is very high and the prize money is huge, helped by some of the biggest betting turnover in the world. That's why the big races attract top horses from Europe, Japan and Australia, and why it's one of the best places to watch international racing at its best.

Because the season straddles two calendar years, the dates below are for the 2026/27 season, with the December 2027 International Races added at the end.

September to November: the new season

The season opens at Sha Tin on Sunday 6 September 2026. The autumn is mostly about building the form that leads to December, with a mix of handicaps and prep races, plus public holiday meetings.

The best race of the autumn in the Hong Kong Horse Racing Calendar is the Jockey Club Cup, a Group 2 over 2,000 metres in late November. It's a key trial for the Hong Kong Cup.

The Glamour of Hong Kong Racing at Happy Valley

December: the Hong Kong International Races

The highlight of the Hong Kong Horse Racing Calendar and one of the best days of racing anywhere in the world. Hong Kong, Europe, Japan and Australia all send their best horses, and there are four Group 1 races at Sha Tin on the same day.

Hong Kong Cup: 2,000 metres, and the richest race of the day at HK$40 million.
Hong Kong Mile: the top mile race of the year, at HK$36 million.
Hong Kong Sprint: 1,200 metres, at HK$28 million.
Hong Kong Vase: 2,400 metres, at HK$26 million.

Four days earlier, on Wednesday night, Happy Valley hosts the International Jockeys' Championship, a four-race series between top riders from around the world, under the lights. In 2026, it's on 9 December, and the main races are on 13 December.

The next running is expected on Sunday 12 December 2027, with the jockeys' night on Wednesday 8 December.

January and February: the Triple Crown and Speed Series

The midwinter races are built around two series, and the Jockey Club also runs a Four-Year-Old Classic Series that leads to the Derby.

Centenary Sprint Cup (24 January): a Group 1 over 1,200 metres, and the first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series.
Stewards' Cup (31 January): a Group 1 over 1,600 metres, and the first leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown. The Hong Kong Classic Mile for four-year-olds is run the same day.
Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (21 February): a Group 1 over 1,400 metres, the second leg of the Speed Series.
Hong Kong Gold Cup (28 February): the Group 1 over 2,000 metres and the second leg of the Triple Crown. The Hong Kong Classic Cup is run the same day.

There's also a Chinese New Year meeting at Sha Tin in early February, which is one of the busiest and most popular days of the season.

March: the Hong Kong Derby

The Hong Kong Derby is on Sunday 21 March 2027, over 2,000 metres at Sha Tin, with a purse of HK$28 million. It's the final race of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, and the biggest domestic race for the season's best young horses.

April and May: Champions Day and the Chater Cup

Champions Day (Sunday 25 April 2027): three Group 1s at Sha Tin. The QEII Cup over 2,000 metres is the headline at HK$30 million, with the Champions Mile over 1,600 metres and the Chairman's Sprint Prize over 1,200 metres, the final leg of the Speed Series.
Champions & Chater Cup (Sunday 23 May 2027): a Group 1 over 2,400 metres and the final leg of the Triple Crown. It's the last of the big races of the season.

June and July: the end of the season

Racing carries on through the early summer with a mix of handicaps, before the season closes in July and the whole cycle starts again in September.

Hong Kong Horse Racing Calendar FAQ

When are the Hong Kong International Races in 2026 and 2027? Sunday 13 December 2026, and expected on Sunday 12 December 2027, both at Sha Tin.

When is the Hong Kong Derby in 2027? Sunday 21 March 2027, over 2,000 metres at Sha Tin.

When does the Hong Kong racing season run? From September to July, with racing on most Sundays at Sha Tin and on Wednesday nights at Happy Valley.

What are the Hong Kong Triple Crown races? The Stewards' Cup, the Hong Kong Gold Cup and the Champions & Chater Cup.

What is the Hong Kong Speed Series? Three Group 1 sprints and mile races: the Centenary Sprint Cup, the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup and the Chairman's Sprint Prize.

What is the time difference for UK viewers? Hong Kong is eight hours ahead of the UK in winter and seven during British Summer Time, so afternoon racing there is morning racing at home.

World Horse Racing Calendar