2nd September 2026 – (Hong Kong) The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s planned launch of regular racing at Conghua Racecourse on 31st October has been postponed after mainland authorities issued a fresh risk assessment, with no new date announced. The club said at its annual general meeting on Tuesday that a meeting originally set for 31st October at the Guangzhou venue would be delayed. It had been preparing internally for months, with staff shuttling between Hong Kong and Conghua to organise the programme. In a statement, the club said it had worked closely with mainland departments, followed legal requirements and completed procedures to ready world-class racing in October at Conghua. After receiving the latest risk assessment, both sides agreed to keep cooperating and draw up appropriate measures, and October activities would therefore be postponed.
One club member told reporters the delay came without warning. Although no formal invitation had been issued, some members had already been asked to keep time free for Conghua and had begun booking accommodation, leaving them surprised. The member said the Conghua track had been operating for some time with horses regularly trial galloping there, and it was unclear whether the postponement related to other facilities or different factors.
The club noted longstanding cooperation with mainland authorities. At a Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperation conference in 2021, it signed a framework agreement with the Guangzhou municipal government to host international speed racing and build a major grandstand at Conghua as a core driver of equine industry growth. In July 2026 it signed a further agreement to deepen cooperation, including a Guangzhou-Hong Kong equine industry cooperation zone aligned with Guangzhou’s 15th five-year plan. In March 2026 the club and Guangzhou’s culture, radio, television and tourism bureau signed a memorandum to promote horse culture, sport and tourism across the Greater Bay Area, centred on Conghua and the club’s three racecourses in Conghua and Hong Kong.
Tuesday’s meeting also elected stewards. Sports, performing arts, culture and tourism sector legislator Kenneth Fok, 47, joined the board as a steward, succeeding Nicholas Hunsworth, 70, who retired on reaching the age limit. Fok told HK01 he was honoured to be elected and thanked the board and selecting members for their trust. He said the Jockey Club had long worked to build a better society and had invested heavily in sports science, talent training and event promotion. He hoped to use his experience to expand international reach, promote racing tourism and strengthen Greater Bay Area equine cooperation under Hong Kong’s one country, two systems framework.
Four stewards whose terms expired were re-elected: deputy chairman Lester Huang, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority chairman Bernard Chan, Bank of China Hong Kong independent non-executive director Anita Fung and surveyor Philip Lo.