Hong Kong Sprint
Hong Kong Sprint
Group One Betting Guide
| Date: | December 10, 2023 |
| Location: | Sha Tin Racecourse, Hong Kong |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Prize Money: | HK$26,000,000 |
The Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint is one of four Hong Kong International Races, offering a purse of HK$26,000,000.
Held in mid-December each year, the 1200m event is one of the world’s highest-rated short-course races and attracts punters from all around the globe. It is now the final leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, which includes high-calibre races from countries such as England, Dubai and Australia.
The Hong Kong Sprint has been won by some genuine champions of the turf. Betting markets for the race are open for most of the year, so sign up with our recommended bookmakers to bet on the next sprinting superstar.
2023 Hong Kong Sprint Odds
The 2023 Hong Kong Sprint odds as of December 6 look like this:
- Lucky Sweynesse – +100
- Wellington – +400
- Highfield Princess – +500
- Victor The Winner – +1000
- Mad Cool – +1100
- Aesop’s Fables – +1400
Complete Hong Kong Sprint odds available at Neds.
Best Hong Kong Sprint bookmakers
All of the bookmakers listed below offer betting on the Hong Kong Sprint and weekly Hong Kong race meetings.
Punters can bet into all Hong Kong markets where fixed odds and futures betting are available.
Hong Kong Sprint Bookies
Latest Hong Kong Sprint News
Manfred Man and Zac Purton have combined with Lucky Sweynesse to take out the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at ...
The annual Hong Kong International Race Day will be held at Sha Tin Racecourse this Sunday afternoon. Check out Horsebetting's ...
Jamie Richards hopes that Wellington is ready to run a big race in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at ...
Golden Sixty must overcome the widest draw of all in stall 14 if he is to reclaim his Group 1 ...
Andrea Atzeni has will bid to underline his potential as one of the brightest talents with two rides at the ...
Aidan O’Brien is expecting big things from the Hong Kong International Races, with four runners from his stable expected to ...
Hong Kong Sprint facts and figures
Knowing all the facts and figures can make betting on horse racing much easier. Knowing which trainers and jockeys to follow is a great way to make some extra cash.
- Most wins by a trainer: Ricky Yiu (1999, 2007, 2009)
- Most wins by a jockey: Brett Prebble (2006, 2009, 2011)
Four horses have won the Hong Kong Sprint on two occasions. Mr Stunnong, Falvelon, Silent Witness and Lord Kanaloa won consecutive Hong Kong Sprints, with Sacred Kingdom winning in both 2007 and 2009.
The fastest time recorded was 1:07.80 in 2006 by Absolute Champion. The race was changed from 1000m to 1200m in 2006 and the quickest time over the shorter distance is held by All Thrills Too, who ran a slick 56.40 in 2002.
2023 Hong Kong Sprint Final Field
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Previous Hong Kong Sprint Field
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Wellington Richard Gibson Ryan Moore 10 126lb 2 Sky Field Casper Fownes Blake Shinn 11 126lb 3 Gendarme Yasutoshi Ikee Damian Lane 8 126lb 4 Lucky Sweynesse Manfred Man Zac Purton 3 126lb 5 Super Wealthy David Hayes Vincent Ho 7 126lb 6 Naran Huleg Yoshitada Munakata Kyosuke Maruta 2 126lb 7 Stronger Douglas Whyte Hugh Bowman 5 126lb 8 Lim’s Kosciuszko Daniel Meagher Daniel Beasley 4 126lb 9 Duke Wai Pierre Ng Harry Bentley 12 126lb 10 Cordyceps Six Richard Gibson Silvestre De Sousa 13 126lb 11 Courier Wonder John Size Luke Currie 9 126lb 12 Sight Success John Size Christophe Lemaire 6 126lb 13 Meikei Yell Hidenori Take James McDonald 14 122lb 14 Resistencia Takeshi Matsushita Joao Moreira 1 122lb
2022 Hong Kong Sprint result
1st – Wellington (+315)
2nd – Sight Success (+255)
3rd – Sky Field (+495)
Recent Hong Kong Sprint winners
- Wellington now looks to have the racing world at his feet after the home-trained champion delivered a performance of real authority in the HK$24 million Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) on Sunday. Richard Gibson’s six-year-old has had an almost faultless 12 months since his unfortunate seventh-place run in this 1200m showpiece at the end of 2021. Now a four-time Group 1 winner, he has swept the board in divisional honours, retaining his Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) and returning from a break with an admirable weight-carrying performance in the Group 2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m). Only a few weeks prior, Wellington’s regular rider Alexis Badel dislocated his shoulder in a fall at Sha Tin and so Gibson looked to the very top for a replacement – his British compatriot Ryan Moore. Moore, one of the world’s leading pilots who was winning his eighth race at the HK$110 million Hong Kong International Races (HKIR), admitted the race went perfectly to plan as he settled in the middle of the pack. Singapore runner Lim’s Kosciuszko went to the front and was then superseded by Christophe Lemaire and John Size-trained Sight Success. With 200m remaining, Lemaire had set for home but Wellington was on his shoulder in an instant, passing the line three-quarters of a length in front in a time of 1m 08.76s. Sight Success held on for second, ahead of Sky Field and Courier Wonder in a finish dominated by Hong Kong runners.
- Caspar Fownes and Blake Shinn were left with conflicting emotions after Sky Field steamed to success in the Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), fending off world-class opposition from Japan to continue Hong Kong’s dominance in the event. Shinn, 34, slotted his first Group 1 triumph in Hong Kong but the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey’s thoughts – and those also of Fownes – were with Pixie Knight (Yuichi Fukunaga), Lucky Patch (Zac Purton), Naboo Attack (Karis Teetan) and Amazing Star (Lyle Hewitson), who fell on the home turn. Shinn and Sky Field avoided the incident before staving off Resistencia (Christophe Soumillon) by three-quarters of a length in 1m 08.66s. Courier Wonder (Joao Moreira) was third, one and a half lengths from the winner. Shinn’s faith in Sky Field, a son of Deep Field, was rewarded on the highest stage and came three seasons into the Australian’s Hong Kong stint.
- Needing a perfect ride from barrier 14, Ryan Moore provided Danon Smash the most elite steer to claim the 2020 HK Sprint. The win handed Ryan Moore back-to-back Group 1 victories on the day and he certainly ernt his pay cheque in doing so. Having drawn the wide barrier, Moore had the Japanese galloper settled midfield with cover and when asked for an effort in the home straight, he looked to be the winner a long way out from home.
- Mr Stunning was looking for a hat trick of wins in the HK Sprint, but it was the John Size trained Beat The Clock who swamped the leader Aethero and Hot King Prawn in a blanket finish to claim the 2019 Hong Kong Sprint. There was only a length seperated the first four and half a length seperating the trifectra and the win in the 2019 HK sprint handed superstar jockey Joao Moreira his fourth win of the day and his second group one.
- Defending champion Mr Stunning was just shaded in the market by the in-form Hot King Prawn, but it was the Stunner who had the last laugh as the post approached. Hot King Prawn led for the majority of the race but never looked comfortable, which was in direct contrast to Mr Stunning. The button was pushed on the winner at the 400m mark and he eventually extended entering the final 100m to successfully defend his crown.
- Mr Stunning came into the 2017 Hong Kong Sprint as a red-hot favourite and the champ justified the short price in style. Settling just off the speed behind Peniaphobia and Once In A Moon, Mr Stunning pulled wide of the pair entering the straight and promptly kicked away. D B Pin looked to have Mr Stunning’s measure entering the final 200m but the gun galloper maintained the strong run to record a gutsy win.
- Age was no barrier for Aerovelocity as the eight-year-old won the 2016 Hong Kong Sprint. It was able to find a nice spot in the run with Zac Purton in the saddle and it held off the fast-finishing Lucky Bubbles which found trouble at the rear of the field. This was Aerovelocity’s second Hong Kong Sprint win after scoring in 2014. Read full report here.
- Peniaphobia was a stylish winner of the Hong Kong Sprint in 2015 when winning at odds of $6. The Tony Cruz-trained runner has ridden by champion jockey Joao Moreira who gave Peniaphobia a great ride from a tricky draw. It was able to cross from the wide draw and with its superior turn of foot, there was no running down the champion.
- Aerovelocity was another all-the-way winner in 2014 when it held off the fast-finishing Peniaphohia which would win the Hong Kong Sprint a year later. The Paul O’Sullivan-trained sprinter was well-found in the market and it continued the good run set by the favoured runners.
Past Hong Kong Sprint winners list
| Hong Kong Sprint Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2022 | Wellington | Ryan Moore | Richard Gibson |
| 2021 | Sky Field | Blake Shinn | Caspar Fownes |
| 2020 | Danon Smash | Ryan Moore | Takayuki Yasuda |
| 2019 | Beat The Clock | Joao Moreira | John Size |
| 2018 | Mr Stunning | Karis Teetan | Frankie Lor |
| 2017 | Mr Stunning | Nash Rawiller | John Size |
| 2016 | Aerovelocity | Zac Purton | Paul O’Sullivan |
| 2015 | Peniaphobia | Joao Moreira | Tony Cruz |
| 2014 | Aerovelocity | Zac Purton | Paul O’Sullivan |
| 2013 | Lord Kanaloa | Yasunari Iwata | Takayuki Yasuda |
| 2012 | Lord Kanaloa | Yasunari Iwata | Takayuki Yasuda |
| 2011 | Lucky Nine | Brett Prebble | Caspar Fownes |
| 2010 | J J the Jet Plane | Piere Strydom | Lucky Houdalakis |
| 2009 | Sacred Kingdom | Brett Prebble | Ricky Yiu |
| 2008 | Inspiration | Darren Beadman | John Moore |
| 2007 | Sacred Kingdom | Gerald Mosse | Ricky Yiu |
| 2006 | Absolute Champion | Brett Prebble | David Hall |
| 2005 | Natural Blitz | Glyn Schofield | Derek Cruz |
| 2004 | Silent Witness | Felix Coetzee | Tony Cruz |
| 2003 | Silent Witness | Felix Coetzee | Tony Cruz |
| 2002 | All Thrills Too | Gerald Mosse | David Hayes |
| 2001 | Falvelon | Damien Oliver | Danny Bougoure |
| 2000 | Falvelon | Damien Oliver | Danny Bougoure |
| 1999 | Fairy King Prawn | Steven King | Ricky Yiu |
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