Hong Kong Mile
Hong Kong Mile
Group One Betting Guide
| Date: | December 10, 2023 |
| Location: | Sha Tin Racecourse, Hong Kong |
| Distance: | 1600m |
| Prize Money: | HK$32,000,000 |
The Hong Kong Mile – one of the four Group 1 titles that make up the annual Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) – is widely considered one of the greatest mile races in the world. Held every December, the HK$32,000,000 feature is run at Sha Tin and has been won by some of Hong Kong’s greatest champion thoroughbreds.
Initially the Hong Kong Invitation Bowl, was inaugurated in 1991 to mark Hong Kong’s staging of that year’s Asian Racing Conference. Ireland’s Additional Risk won that first edition for trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Mick Kinane.
The race attained international Group 3 status in 1994, and was further upgraded to Group 2 the following year. The UK-trained Docksider won the race the first time that it was held in its now familiar guise, the Hong Kong Mile over 1600m – that was in 1999. It was upgraded to International Group 1 status when New Zealand super mare Sunline took the race in 2000.
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.
2023 Hong Kong Mile Odds
The 2023 Hong Kong Mile odds as of December 6 look like this:
- Golden Sixty – +130
- California Spangle – +600
- Beauty Eternal – +650
- Namur – +800
- Soul Rush – +1000
- Beauty Joy – +1200
Complete Hong Kong Mile odds available at Neds.
Best bookmakers for Hong Kong Mile betting
All of HorseBetting’s recommended online bookmakers run markets for the Hong Kong Mile each year, including all-in and futures options. Check out the licensed betting sites below to find the best odds for the 2023 Hong Kong Mile.
Best Hong Kong Mile Bookies
Latest Hong Kong Mile News
The annual Hong Kong International Race Day will be held at Sha Tin Racecourse this Sunday afternoon. Check out Horsebetting's ...
Tony Cruz believes that California Spangle can repeat his victory over Golden Sixty in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile ...
Golden Sixty must overcome the widest draw of all in stall 14 if he is to reclaim his Group 1 ...
Serifos and Prognosis will represent the Mitsumasa Nakauchida Stable in the 2023 Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin ...
Luxembourg fronts a squad which is represented in each one of the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) for trainer Aidan ...
Voyage Bubble and Beauty Eternal showed they are on target for the Hong Kong International Races with solid trial wins ...
Hong Kong Mile betting guide
It may seem cliche, but good horses win the Hong Kong Mile.
The outstanding champion Good Ba Ba has the distinction of being the only horse to have won this or any other HKIR contest three times.
The great miler prevailed in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Golden Sixty, Hong Kong’s brilliant son of Medaglia d’Oro prevailed in the 2020 and 2021 editions of the event.
Japan’s Horse of the Year Maurice was the winner of this race in 2015. Another top Japanese miler Admire Mars became only the second three-year-old winner, following Additional Risk, when he won this race in 2019.
2023 Hong Kong Mile Final Field
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Previous Hong Kong Mile Field
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Golden Sixty Francis Lui Vincent Ho 4 126lb 2 California Spangle Tony Cruz Zac Purton 2 126lb 3 SaliosNoriyuki HoriRyan Moore8126lb4 Schnell Meister Takahisa Tezuka Christophe Lemaire 1 126lb 5 Waikuku John Size Silvestre De Sousa 9 126lb 6 Beauty Joy Tony Cruz Hugh Bowman 5 126lb 7 Laws Of Indices Annabel Neasham James McDonald 10 126lb 8 More Than This Danny Shum Derek Leung 3 126lb 9 Excellent Proposal John Size Antoine Hamelin 7 126lb 10 Danon Scorpion Takayuki Yasuda William Buick 6 125lb
2022 Hong Kong Mile result
1st – California Spangle (+210)
2nd – Golden Sixty (-10000)
3rd – Laws Of Indices (+680)
Recent runnings of the Hong Kong Mile
- It was a case of third time lucky for California Spangle at Sha Tin as he sensationally denied Golden Sixty’s record-equalling Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) hat-trick bid in front a raucous 42,624 crowd. Beaten by Golden Sixty in the 2022 Group 1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and Group 2 Jockey Club Mile (1600m), California Spangle reversed the result with his first-top level crown for trainer Tony Cruz and jockey Zac Purton. Stepping away cleanly under Purton, the four-year-old fired forward before denying a brave Golden Sixty by a neck in 1:33.41 for the trip, while Laws Of Indices and Beauty Joy filled third and fourth places, respectively.
- Golden Sixty stands alone as Hong Kong’s most prolific winner in history after he successfully defended his Group 1 Hong Kong Mile crown in 2021. Nailing yet another heart-stopping win under jockey Vincent Ho, Hong Kong’s champion savoured the 19th win of his career to set a new record in town, surpassing the previous mantle of 18 he shared with Silent Witness and Beauty Generation, dating back to when the professional era of Hong Kong racing commenced in 1971. Smashing a fine field of 10 others from Japan, Ireland and Hong Kong including Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) winner (Danon Kingly), Golden Sixty enhanced his earnings to a mouth-watering HKD$95.453 million with victory, just HKD$10.78 million shy of the record mark (in Hong Kong) set by Beauty Generation (HKD$106.233 million).
- Having been sent around a $1.30 hot pot, Golden Sixty rewarded those punters who took the short odds with an emphatic victory. Having hit the front with 200m to go, he simply never looked like getting beaten and in doing so brought up an 11th straight win.
- Beauty Generation was aiming to string together three wins in the HK Mile, however it was Admire Mars that got the better of the superstar galloper and other market fancies. Admire Mars took over from Beauty Generation with 100 metres to go and powered through the line to claim another feature for Japanese trainers on a day where Japanese gallopers had a field day. Waikuku had to settle for second after a massive run to just miss, and Beauty Generation had to settle for third after tiring during the concluding stages.
- Beauty Generation went back-to-back in the Hong Kong Mile in what was one of the most dominant victories in HKIR history. Jockey Zac Purton didn’t press the issue out of the gate dispute jumping from a tricky barrier but once the field settled Beauty Generation took to the head of affairs and was never headed. Vivlos and Southern Legend rounded out the placings but they were in a race of their own.
- Another front-running ride on HKIR delivered as Beauty Generation won the Mile from start to finish. Derek Leung had to push the horse along out of the gates but the galloper settled nicely after finding the lead and was never headed, booting away in the concluding stages to record a comfortable victory.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Hong Kong Mile past winners list
| Hong Kong Mile Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2021 | California Spangle | Zac Purton | Tony Cruz |
| 2021 | Golden Sixty | Vincent Ho | Francis Lui |
| 2020 | Golden Sixty | Vincent Ho | Francis Lui |
| 2019 | Admire Mars | Christophe Soumillon | Yasuo Tomomichi |
| 2018 | Beauty Generation | Zac Purton | John Moore |
| 2017 | Beauty Generation | Derek Leung Ka-chun | John Moore |
| 2016 | Beauty Only | Zac Purton | Tony Cruz |
| 2015 | Maurice | Ryan Moore | Noriyuki Hori |
| 2014 | Able Friend | Joao Moreira | John Moore |
| 2013 | Glorious Days | Douglas Whyte | John Size |
| 2012 | Ambitious Dragon | Zac Purton | Anthony Millard |
| 2011 | Able One | Jeff Lloyd | John Moore |
| 2010 | Beauty Flash | Gerald Mosse | Tony Cruz |
| 2009 | Good Ba Ba | Olivier Doleuze | Derek Cruz |
| 2008 | Good Ba Ba | Christoper Soumillon | Andreas Schutz |
| 2007 | Good Ba Ba | Olivier Doleuze | Andreas Schutz |
| 2006 | The Duke | Olivier Doleuze | Caspar Fownes |
| 2005 | Hat Trick | Olivier Peslier | Katsuhiko Sumii |
| 2004 | Firebreak | Frankie Dettori | Saeed Bin Suroor |
| 2003 | Lucky Owners | Felix Coetzee | Tony Cruz |
| 2002 | Olympic Express | Weichong Marwing | Ivan Allan |
| 2001 | Eishin Preston | Yuichi Fukunaga | Shuji Kitahashi |
| 2000 | Sunline | Greg Childs | Trevor McKee |
| 1999 | Docksider | Olivier Peslier | John Hills |
| 1998 | Jim And Tonic | Gerald Mosse | Francois Doumen |
| 1997 | Catalan Opening | Darren Beadman | Bart Cummings |
| 1996 | Monopolize | Darren Beadman | Grahame Begg |
| 1995 | Monopolize | Wayne Harris | Grahame Begg |
| 1994 | Soviet Line | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute |
| 1993 | Winning Partners | Michael Kinane | Neville Begg |
| 1992 | Glen Kate | Corey Black | Bill Schoemaker |
| 1991 | Additional Risk | Michael Kinane | Dermot Weld |
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