Derby History

The Hong Kong Derby was first run in 1873, 11 years before the establishment of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and this year marks the 131st renewal of the race. Like other derbies around the world, the Hong Kong Derby is regarded as the most prestigious race on the local racing calendar and has a special and distinguished status in the racing history of Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Derby was first run at Happy Valley over one and a half miles (approximately 2400 metres) and was won by Surprise. In the late 1800s, ponies imported from China were mainly used for racing in Hong Kong. It was only in the early 1900s that horses began to be imported from Australia. Owing to the difference in quality between these ponies and horses, the Jockey Club once staged two separate derbies for the two categories of contenders commencing from 1932. Hence, the Hong Kong Derby was then mainly run by ponies from China, and the Rooty-Hill Derby by horses from Australia. The Derby races were suspended during Japanese occupation until 1947 after the war was over, when a single Hong Kong Derby was resumed as the quality of runners became less uneven. The Derby held in that year was won by Norse Queen (「那茜后」), who was also the first Derby winner with a Chinese name.

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