Hong Kong Mile

The Hong Kong Mile is one of four Group one Hong Kong international races and is widely considered one of the greatest mile races in the world. Held every December, the AUS$3.9 million feature is run at Sha Tin and has been won by some of Hong Kong’s greatest champion thoroughbreds.

Because of the large audience for the international meeting, punters love betting into the big Hong Kong pools and the bookmakers have great fixed odds prices available throughout the year. Betting on Hong Kong races is extremely popular in Australia and the Hong Kong Mile is one of the most exciting races of the year.

2017 Hong Kong Mile betting guide

Plucking the winner of the Hong Kong Mile from a punting perspective can be tough, although some heavily backed and champion horses have won it in the past, including Good Ba Ba which won it three successive years between 2007-09.

The race is traditionally won by mature horses with miles in their legs as shown by four of the last five winners being five years or older. The exception being Maurice in 2015 which made a lot of history during its great career, including winning the HK Mile as a four year old.

The 2017 betting on the Hong Kong Mile is dominated by Season’s Bloom with the five year old fitting the right age profile and has miles in its legs. Having said that the huge purse on offer has some gun horses competing for the title.

No.	Silks	Horse/Bred	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Odds
1		Beauty Only (IRE)	Tony Cruz	N Rawiller	12	57	$6.50
2		Helene Paragon (FR)	John Moore	J Bowman	2	57	$7.50
3		Contentment (AUS)	John Size	M Chadwick	8	57	$13
4		Satono Aladdin (JPN)	Yasutoshi Ikee	J Moreira	4	57	$8
5		Joyful Trinity (IRE)	John Moore	B Prebble	10	57	$41
6		Lightning Spear (GB)	David Simcock	Tommy Berry	1	57	$26
7		Seasons Bloom (Aus)	Danny Shum	S Pasquier	5	57	$3.80
8		Horse Of Fortune (SAF)	Tony Millard	F X Bertras	13	57	$34
9		Karar (GB)	Francis-Henri Graffard	G Mosse	3	57	$34
10		Beauty Generation (NZ)	John Moore	O Doleuze	9	57	$8.50
11		Sichuan Dar (AUS)	Tony Millard	S De Sousa	6	57	$67
12		Western Express (AUS)	John Size	S Clipperton	7	57	$26
13		Lancaster Bomber (USA)	Aidan O’Brien	Ryan Moore	11	56.6	$12
14		Roly Poly (USA)	Aidan O’Brien	JA Heffernan	14	55	$7

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Recent runnings of the Hong Kong Mile

2016: Beauty Only continued a stunning night for Zac Purton who had already won aboard Aerovelocity in the Hong Kong Sprint. The quality runner was produced to the outside by Purton and it sprinted past race-favourite Able Friend to record a good victory over fellow Australian Hugh Bowman who rode Helene Paragon. Joyful Trinity held on well for third in front of Contentment which raced well. Read the full report here.

Results:

Exotic payouts 2016

2015: Maurice came of age when winning in 2015 and the local runner had the crowd cheering. With Ryan Moore in the saddle, Maurice was too good for its opposition and it edged out Giant Treasure and race-favourite Able Friend which couldn’t go back-to-back in the Mile. Maurice paid $4 with bookmakers and it since continued to perform well on the world stage.

2014: Able Friend was one of the shortest priced winners of the Hong Kong Mile and one of the most impressive. The John Moore-trained runner paid $1.30 with bookmakers and romped home by 4.25 lengths over Gold-Fun and outsider Grand Prix Boss. It couldn’t back that win up in 2015, but its win in 2014 will remain in the history books.

2013: Glorious Days created an upset in 2013 for trainer John Size. It was formerly trained by Stephen and Trevor McKee in New Zealand, but it went to Hong Kong and won the Mile at odds of $14 after finishing second in 2012. It was the highlight of its career in beating Gold-Fun by 0.75 lengths, but the then six=year-old failed to continue on with that success.

2012:Ambitious Dragon was a well-fancied runner in 2012 and it got the job done well. The six-year-old by Pins won with Australia’s Zuc Purton in the saddle and it carried plenty of support in the betting at $4.90. 2013 winner Glorious Days finished second with long-shot Packing OK ($11.50 to place) survived a protest lodged by the connections of Gordon Lord Byron in fourth.

2011: Able One scored one of the biggest upsets in the race’s history when winning at odds of $42.80. The John Moore-trained gelding was a ripe nine-year-old which had one more big race win left in it. The son of Cape Cross wasn’t expected to beat the likes of New Zealand Derby winner Jimmy Choux and Hong Kong runner Xtension, but it held off all challengers in a desperately tight finish.

Notable Hong Kong Mile winners

Good Ba Ba: Good Ba Ba was an outstanding gelding which won three consecutive Hong Kong Miles. The 2008 Hong Kong Horse of the Year had a stellar career with 15 wins from 33 starts and it currently holds the the race-record time of 1:32.71 which was set in 2008. It won in 2007 and 2008 with trainer Andreas Schutz before being sent to the Derek Cruz stable for its third consecutive victory.

Sunline: Sunline won the 2000 Hong Kong Mile in what has become one of the most exciting races in history. The New Zealand-trained mare was well-backed to win at Sha Tin, despite failing in its previous attempt in 1999, but the two-time Cox Plate champion was in form during the spring and only Hong Kong champion Fairy King Prawn could push it close. The battle between Sunline and Fairy King Prawn was one for the ages as Sunline assumed its customary leaders role. Fairy King Prawn settled back during the run and made its charge around the home turn. It appeared as though the local hope would run Sunline down, but the Kiwi champion fought gamely and held on. “The mare of the world” call echoed around Sha Tin, giving New Zealand its biggest international win since Kiwi won the Japan Cup.

Jim And Tonic: Jim And Tonic was a world-class thoroughbred which won the 2008 Hong Kong Mile (Bowl) before winning the 2009 Hong Kong Cup. The French-trained champion won all around the world which included France, Hong Kong and Dubai. The globetrotting gelding clocked up more than 250 air miles throughout its career which was a testament to its guts and determination.

Hong Kong Mile past winners list