A. Age and Starts Conditions (Apply to all types of Permit)

1. Horses must be imported into Hong Kong before they turn five years old.

2. Restrictions on the maximum number of starts for different age groups:

Age
(at time of arrival)		 2-year-olds 3-year-olds 4-year-olds
Maximum 
No. of Starts		 10 As a 2yo
10		 As a 3 yo
15		 As a 2 yo
10		 As a 3 yo
15		 As a 4yo
15
Maximum
Career Starts		 10 17 17

B. Performance Qualifications

1. Normal Permit / Normal Replacement Permit

A Normal Permit refers to a PP Permit issued in the annual Horse Import Permits Ballot.

A Normal Replacement Permit refers to a PP Permit issued for importing a horse to replace one which has been retired within 12 months of arrival in Hong Kong and did not have more than five starts in Hong Kong.

Europe (France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and Italy), South Africa and United Arab Emirates

  • Horses must have an International Rating of 80 or higher agreed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicappers at the time of import.

Australia

  • Horses must have won a race at a Metropolitan track;

  • Or won a race of an advertised value of at least AUS$15,000;

  • Or have been placed 2nd or 3rd in a Group or Listed race or in a race of an advertised value of at least AUS$50,000.

    Metropolitan Tracks in Australia
    New South Wales Randwick
    Rosehill     		Warwick Farm
    Canterbury
    Victoria Flemington
    Sandown     		Caulfield
    Moonee Valley
    Queensland Eagle Farm Doomben
    South Australia Morphettville
    Victoria Park     		Cheltenham
    Oakbank (at Easter-2 days)
    Western Australia Ascot Belmont
    Tasmania Elwick Mowbray

New Zealand

  • Horses must have won a race of an advertised value of at least NZ$8,000;

  • Or have been placed 2nd or 3rd in a Group or Listed race or in a race of an advertised value of at least NZ$40,000.

South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru)

  • Horses must have been placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a Group Race.

USA and Canada

  • Horses must have won a race of an advertised value of at least US$35,000 or equivalent;

  • Or have been placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a Graded or Listed Race.

Japan

  • Horses must have been placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a Group or Listed Race.

India, Malaysia and Singapore

  • Horses must have won a Group 1, Group 2 or Group 3 race.

In all cases, National Hunt Flat Races, Claiming & Selling Races and Walk Overs are excluded from consideration for performance qualifications.

For horses that have raced in more than one country, their qualification can be achieved by meeting the criteria of any one of the countries in which they have raced.

"International Rating" referred to herein means a Rating based on the World Thoroughbred Rankings rating scale and agreed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicappers.

Permit Holders and/or Trainers must obtain written confirmation from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicappers that a horse is eligible for import in accordance with the Import Criteria prior to purchase of a horse from Europe, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates where the performance qualifications are based on International Ratings. It is the sole responsibility of the Permit Holder that such horse satisfies the Import Criteria and all other requirements for import into Hong Kong.

2. Special Replacement Permit

A Special Replacement Permit refers to a PP Permit issued for importing a horse to replace one which has been retired at any time for the purpose of applying for such Special Replacement Permit.

A PP aged 2, 3 or 4 (at time of arrival) must:

  • have a confirmed Hong Kong rating of 85 or higher at the time of import;

  • have won a race or been placed 2nd or 3rd in a Group or Listed race; and

  • be imported from one of the countries listed in paragraph B1.

Hong Kong Ratings are provided by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicappers upon request of Permit Holders and/or Trainers. Any other ratings supplied and/or published by foreign racing jurisdictions do not determine eligibility.

Permit Holders and/or Trainers must obtain written confirmation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicappers that a horse is eligible for import in accordance with the Import Criteria prior to purchase. It is the sole responsibility of the Permit Holder that such horse satisfies the Import Criteria and all other requirements for import into Hong Kong.