Hong Kong International Races Tips & Best Bets

The Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) close the global racing season each December at Sha Tin — four Group 1s worth a record combined HK$130 million that draw the best from Europe, Japan, Australia and Asia. It’s a strong betting day for Australian punters, with all four features framed by the major Australian bookmakers. Below: the four Group 1s, recent winners, the Australia–Hong Kong connection, betting trends and where to watch.

The Four Hong Kong International Group 1s

Race	Distance	Prize (2025)	Profile
Hong Kong Cup	2000m	HK$40m	The richest of the four — an elite middle-distance championship.
Hong Kong Mile	1600m	HK$36m	World-class milers; often the strongest race on the card.
Hong Kong Sprint	1200m	HK$28m	Australia’s sprinters regularly travel for this; a key Aussie angle.
Hong Kong Vase	2400m	HK$26m	The staying feature, usually contested by European raiders.

 

Final fields and fixed odds are released in the week before the meeting — check back for our best bets across the four Group 1s.

The History of the Hong Kong International Races

The meeting began in 1988 as a single international invitation race and grew, through the 1990s, into the four-Group 1 festival staged today. Run at Sha Tin Racecourse on a Sunday in mid-December, it has become known as the “Turf World Championships” — the one day each year the best milers, sprinters and middle-distance horses from Europe, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong all clash on the same card. Title sponsor Longines has backed the event since 2012, and prize money has climbed to a record HK$130 million in 2025, headed by the HK$40 million Hong Kong Cup. For Australian punters it is the perfect end-of-year international meeting: world-class form, a fair, galloping track and full fixed-odds coverage from the local bookmakers.

Hong Kong Cup — Recent Dominance

The Hong Kong Cup has been owned by one horse: Romantic Warrior won it four years running (2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025) — the only horse to win it more than twice, repeatedly beating elite Japanese raiders such as Liberty Island and Tastiera. With his era ending the Cup opens up again; Japanese-trained runners are typically the ones to beat in the Cup and the Vase, while the Hong Kong locals dominate the Mile and Sprint.

Year	Hong Kong Cup Winner	Trained
2025	Romantic Warrior (4th straight)	Hong Kong
2024	Romantic Warrior	Hong Kong
2023	Romantic Warrior	Hong Kong
2022	Romantic Warrior	Hong Kong
2021	Loves Only You	Japan

 

Across the rest of the 2025 card, Voyage Bubble took a second straight Hong Kong Mile, Ka Ying Rising repeated in the Sprint and the French-trained Sosie landed the Vase — a typical HKIR split of Hong Kong speed and European staying power.

The Australia–Hong Kong Connection

The traffic runs both ways. Romantic Warrior raided Australia to win the 2023 Cox Plate, and many Hong Kong stars are Australian-bred — Voyage Bubble (Australian-bred) won the 2024 Hong Kong Mile. Australian-trained raiders most often target the Hong Kong Sprint and Mile; outright Australian-trained winners of the features are rare, but the breeding and form lines between the two jurisdictions are deeply linked — which makes HKIR a meeting Australian punters read well.

HKIR Betting Trends & Angles

• Japan in the Cup & Vase. Japanese-trained middle-distance and staying horses have a powerful HKIR record — respect them at the trips.
• Hong Kong locals in the Mile & Sprint. The home team’s speed horses are hard to beat over 1200m–1600m on their own track.
• Aussie sprinters — a fancied Australian raider in the Sprint is always a live each-way chance.
• Fair, flat Sha Tin rewards quality and a clean run — draw is less of a leveller than at tighter tracks.

How to Watch HKIR in Australia

The Hong Kong International Races are shown on Sky Racing in Australia, running through Sunday afternoon AEST.

Best bookmakers for international racing

See our best horse racing betting sites in Australia guide, or the newest betting sites in Australia for fresh sign-up offers.

Hong Kong International Races FAQs

Where are the Hong Kong International Races held?

All four Group 1s are run at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong, on a Sunday in mid-December.

How much is the Hong Kong Cup worth?

The Hong Kong Cup carried HK$40 million in prize money in 2025 — the richest of the four Group 1s, which shared a record HK$130 million.

When are the Hong Kong International Races?

HKIR is run on a Sunday in mid-December at Sha Tin Racecourse, featuring four Group 1s — the Hong Kong Cup, Mile, Sprint and Vase.

Who has dominated the Hong Kong Cup?

Romantic Warrior won the Hong Kong Cup four straight years (2022–2025), the only horse to win it more than twice. He also won Australia’s 2023 Cox Plate.

Do Australian horses run at HKIR?

Yes — Australian-trained sprinters and milers regularly travel for the Hong Kong Sprint and Mile, and many Hong Kong stars (such as 2024 Mile winner Voyage Bubble) are Australian-bred.

How do I bet on HKIR from Australia?

All major Australian bookmakers frame fixed-odds markets on the four Group 1s, with antepost prices once the international fields take shape in late November.

More International Racing Coverage

• International Racing Hub
• Royal Ascot Tips
• Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Tips
• Horse Racing Tips Hub

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