The HKJC’s recently opened training and racing facility in Mainland China displays all the hallmarks of a carefully designed state of the art facility that has left nothing to chance.

The HKJC’s recently opened training and racing facility in Mainland China displays all the hallmarks of a carefully designed state of the art facility that has left nothing to chance.

Build on the site where the Asian Federation Games were held in 2010, the HKJC in consolation with the Guangzhou Government secured 150 hectares of land to build a racecourse and associated facilities that would supplement the needs of the current horse population at the 1970’s-built Sha Tin racecourse.

Sha Tin is in need of serious renovation, however in order upgrade facilities to ensure high class racing continues well into the 21st century, there was a need to relocate much of the Hong Kong horse racing population while that work is transitioned.

This led to the HKJC seeking additional land in Mainland China in order to house and train the horse population while that vital renovation work is completed – a task that will take in the vicinity of 5 years to complete.

Hong Kong is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading racing jurisdictions – a vision that began in 1998 and has been realised with several Hong Kong-trained horses now rated amongst the Top 100 according to the World’s Best Racehorse Ratings.

“But to ensure future growth, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has identified the need for more modern training facilities,” said Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of the HKJC.

“We have to address the asset wealth and capacity issues in Sha Tin in relation to tracks and training options, including grass and uphill gallops. This includes state-of-the-art stables and an environment which can accommodate not only geldings but horses with breeding potential to justify the ever-increasing investment of our owners to secure world class horses. We also need dedicated horse spelling and rehabilitation facilities. Further the current intense environment at Sha Tin is not ideal to develop younger horses.”

“The Conghua Training Centre offers the Club a superb complement to Sha Tin which remains the heart and is the core centre if our operations. We have made a capital investment of HK$3.7 billion for a truly state-of-the-art training centre in Conghua and have also committed an additional HK$1.5 billion to start a multi-year complete renovation programme in Sha Tin from 2018/19 now that Conghua is in operation,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges.

After a tour around the Conghua facilities, the sheer scale of the development is breath-taking, with the day-to-day operation focusing on every last detail, raging from the dispatchment of horses from Sha Tin to the strict sanitising procedures of all staff that set foot on the complex – there is no room for complacency on any front.

 

It is clear that the HKJC are making every effort to prove to the Guangzhou Government that such a facility in mainland china can deliver considerable benefits and outcomes for China.

Putting the protocols in place for just transporting horses from Sha Tin to Conghua has been a long and detailed process.

The Jockey Club had to work with Government officials of various layers to set out customs protocols that ensured the seamless transportation of horses across borders yet maintaining highest international standards.

Safe and efficient passage of staff and horses across borders is paramount to the success of the venture and the system that has been devised and approved is the most up-to-date technological advanced and monitored horse transportation process in the world.

CCTV cameras on each horse float that carries a maximum of seven horses will record every horse during the journey. Support cars carrying a Club vet, mechanics security personnel and a radio connection is maintained for the entire journey. GPS tracking technology is also used to track the location of each float.

 

 

Even a China Customs clearing facility that houses 60-70 Government officials has been built on Conghua to make the cross boarder process less stressful for the horses, thereby avoiding long delays entering mainland china.

 

 

The Conghua race tracks have been built, where possible, to mirror those at Sha Tin comprising four separate tracks. The main turf track is 2000m in circumference, two dirt all weather tracks (1780m and 1600m) and an uphill training track measuring 1100m with a 1.54% gradient from start to 1000m then a flat last 100m. Unlike Sha Tin, Conghua does not have a 1000m start.

 

The main turf track is comprised of Tifton 419 grass, the same surface used in Sha Tin and has a steady 1% uphill run from the home turn until the winning post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Conghua stabling, swimming pool and spelling paddocks offer a whole new level of comfort and well being for the horse population which now numbers just over 120.

 

 

There are nine stable blocks, eight single story and one double story stable for the training population providing a total of 660 stalls.

 

 

Each single story stable is divided into two wings for two trainers and has a 68 stall capacity, whereas the double story block has four wings with a 120 stall capacity.

 

 

The equine swimming pool can be used for either straight through swimming or a round swimming routine while the 20 individual spelling paddocks ranging in size from just over 1500 square metres to 800 square metres offers trainers the opportunity to return horses to nature for periods of up to a full day at a time.

 

 

No horses are left in the spelling paddocks overnight, all being returned to their stable stalls before 5pm daily.

 

 

A Modern Veterinary Hospital housing the latest equipment and fully manned with resident veterinary staff as well as a rehabilitation centre are standout features of the centre.

 

All staff entering and leaving stables and other centres have their shoes continually sanitised thereby reinforcing the strict biosecurity measures that take front and centre of all activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Conghua project has been fully endorsed and has only been possible due to the support of both the Hong Kong and Mainland Governments,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges.

 

 

“We have overcome many challenges from establishing the first Equine Disease-free Zone in China with the support of the OIE, in extending the health status of Hong Kong into Conghua.”

 

 

“However, the development in Conghua is not for introducing racing with betting, especially as it is against the law in the Chinese Mainland. We firmly believe we can strengthen the positioning of Conghua as a tourist destination giving Conghua a unique branding similar to Baden-Baden with hot springs and racing and create significant value for the region,” says Engelbrecht-Bresges.

 

 

And the involvement of the locals in the racing workforce on Conghua is clearly evident with some 450 participating in various programs ranging from training as horse grooms, track riders and Veterinary personnel.

 

 

For example, each year young locals, many of whom have never had any previous dealings with horses, are put through a specifically designed programme teaching them to ride. Some will progress to trackwork riders, others will be involved in assistant training roles but very few make it all the way to a professional jockey. One of Hong Kong’s past greats as a jockey and now trainer Tony Cruz was a graduate from the programme as is current champion apprentice Matthew Poon.

 

The Conghua Training Centre has capacity for 1200 horses and the HKJC is expecting the current population of around 120 horses to grow to 450 in 2019 then progress rapidly after that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not all trainers in Hong Kong have horses in Conghua at present but the HKJC is expecting a bigger take up of stable offers in 2019.

 

 

Former Australian trainer and champion Hong Kong trainer John Size has been quick to realise the significant benefits of training and racing horses out of Conghua, training a recent Happy Valley double with horses floated down from Conghua specifically to race.

 

 

While training has been the focus to this point, the HKJC expect to conduct a Showcase race meeting with no betting in March 2019, clearly to demonstrate the success of the project to the Hong Kong and Chinese Government officials.

 

 

And after spending two days at the facility and surrounds, it is hard not to be impressed by it’s magnitude but more than that with the overall level of professionalism of the entire operation, something that will be on display for all to experience in 2019.