Conghua racecourse to host world-class race

The Guangzhou Conghua Racecourse, the first world-class racecourse and thoroughbred horse training ground in the Chinese mainland, is slated to hold its first world-class horserace on March 23.

Located in Liangkou town, Conghua district, Guangzhou, the horse racecourse began operating on Aug 28, 2018. It operates along with other existing training centers in Sha Tin, Hong Kong and is expected to help Guangzhou build a modern horse industry with its own unique characteristics. Covering an area of 150 hectares, the training center can accommodate up to 660 race horses. About 160 horses are currently trained at the racecourse.

A photo of the Guangzhou Conghua Racecourse, which begins operating on Aug 28, 2018. [Photo/ycwb.com]

According to Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Conghua racecourse is the first racecourse and training center for thoroughbreds in the Chinese mainland that meets the high international standards,

"The equestrian event will help develop Conghua into a popular tourism destination among both domestic and overseas tourists and provide a boost to the horseracing industry in China."

The horserace will proceed in accordance with the standards and arrangements of a regular race day in Hong Kong. In addition to the participation of Hong Kong-based horses, trainers and jockeys, the event will also follow the same procedures that Hong Kong does for every race, including horse testing, veterinary inspection and more, according to insiders.

In compliance with the laws and policies of the Chinese mainland, the club will not allow betting. There will also be no live broadcasts of the races. Each race will be broadcast in Hong Kong with a 15 minute delay. Select media outlets in the Chinese mainland will broadcast the races with a one hour delay, according to Richard Cheung, an executive official of the marketing and international business development department of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.