Races in this year's the star stradbroke season will now be part of the hong kong jockey club world pool simulcast schedule
13 May 2024 - MEDIA RELEASE
In a glowing endorsement for Brisbane Racing Club’s feature carnival, races during The Star Stradbroke Season will now be part of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) World Pool simulcast schedule.
Queensland’s premier races will be broadcast live to Hong Kong audiences alongside some of the world’s most prestigious events forming one international parimutuel wagering pool for racing fans worldwide.
Four races will be broadcast to Hong Kong on Ladbrokes Derby Day on 1 June, including the world top 100 Group 1 EVA Air Kingsford Smith Cup and Group 1 Ladbrokes Queensland Derby. On 15 June the broadcast will include the Group 2 HKJC World Pool Q22 and Queensland’s iconic handicap sprint, the Group 1 $3million The Star Stradbroke. Race footage will be provided by BRC’s media rights partner Sky Racing.
The inclusion of these six upcoming Eagle Farm races extends Hong Kong’s showcase of Australian Group racing to all year round.
The four features on Ladbrokes Derby Day create an international “Derby Double” alongside England’s coveted Epsom Derby. Both the Queensland Derby and Epsom Derby are significant previews to the Hong Kong Derby the following March. Several Queensland Derby runners have gone on to perform well in the Hong Kong Derby, including Werther (second in the 2015 Queensland Derby and winner of the 2016 Hong Kong Derby).
Also included alongside The Star Stradbroke is the Q22, which in its short inception has captured international attention, with last year’s winner Without A Fight going on to claim the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double and, on the back of this feat, the Melbourne Racing Club offering this year’s winner a golden ticket into the Caulfield Cup – the first ballot exemption granted for an interstate race.
BRC Chairman Neville Bell said the Club was humbled to be included in the HKJC’s simulcast schedule and proud to showcase Queensland’s best racing to new audiences.
“The broadcast of races from The Star Stradbroke Season is a wonderful endorsement from the Hong Kong Jockey Club of our carnival’s standing on the global racing landscape.
“To join the World Pool is a milestone our club has worked towards with HKJC for over a decade through building strong relationships and innovating our programme of feature races.
“We are most grateful for this acknowledgement from Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges and his team who have worked closely with Sky Racing and our executives.”
“Winfried’s vision and leadership in bringing jurisdictions together to promote racing around the world is unparalleled.”
Hong Kong’s 12 time champion trainer John Size and leading jockey Zac Purton both had successful stints in Queensland and Brisbane based jockey Ben Thompson has recently begun to make his mark in Hong Kong, including an extended contract from eight weeks to five months.
Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Wagering Michael Fitzimmons added the partnership further strengthened the links which Brisbane and Hong Kong Racing have enjoyed for many years.
“We can now extend this connection to include World Pool.”
“It has been a very successful season in Australia and it’s great to be adding a third state to the World Pool roster.”
“The commingling partnership with Tabcorp Queensland has grown over the past 12 months and this continues the momentum.”
In recent years key BRC staff have travelled to Sha Tin, Happy Valley and Conghua to learn best practice in racecourse management, with learnings delivering successful results for both Eagle Farm and Doomben which share similar management practices and climatic conditions for racing and training.
BRC Chief Executive Officer Tony Partridge thanked the Hong Kong Jockey Club for their contribution to the development of key BRC personnel and welcomed more opportunities to work closely together.
“The generosity of the HKJC in sharing their expertise has been of significant benefit to our club and we look forward to reciprocating with initiatives such as training programs for Hong Kong apprentice jockeys. “We are grateful that our partnership now extends to showcasing our flagship races including the Q22 which has been a tremendous success in its short inception and will be sponsored this year by the HKJC World Pool. In many respects The Star Stradbroke Handicap represents Brisbane racing and in the space of 12 months prizemoney has doubled to $3 million, the race has been recognised in the top 100 Group Ones of the world for the first time and now The Star Stradbroke will feature in Queensland racing’s first broadcast of World Pool races to Hong Kong."
"Hong Kong racing fans have known Sydney and Melbourne racing for years but now with the help of HKJC, Hong Kong fans will come to associate Brisbane with Group 1 racing which can only help to promote Brisbane as a city for racing and in the lead up to the Olympics in Brisbane in 2032.”