Horse racing is a sport that involves the riding of horses and the betting of money on the outcome of races. It is a popular pastime that dates back thousands of years and has been practiced by civilizations all over the world. While the sport has a romanticized facade where people show off their fancy outfits and sip mint juleps, horse racing is also a brutal sport that exposes the horses to extreme physical exertion and often leads to injuries, breakdowns and even death. There is much more to this industry than meets the eye and growing awareness of this dark side has helped to improve conditions for the horses and bring in new fans.

Racetracks often have multiple types of races with varying rules and prize money. Some of these races are more competitive than others and are considered ‘graded’. Graded races offer a higher purse, which attracts better horses and leads to more money being wagered on the winner. There are also’stakes’ races which have a higher level of prize money and are generally reserved for the best horses in the country.

A horse that wins a race for the first time is said to be ‘breaking his/her maiden’. This term also refers to a horse that has won a race over a specific distance, such as a mile or more. When a jockey has a good feel for a horse in the final stages of a race he is said to be ‘on the bridle’. The bridle is a collection of leather straps that fit around a horse’s head and connect the mouth bit with the reins so the jockey can control his/her mount.

In a close finish when it is impossible to tell who won a race it can be decided by a photo finish. A photograph of the finish is then studied by a panel of stewards to determine who crossed the line first. If no winner can be determined the race is settled according to dead heat rules.

There are different levels of races for a horse to compete in depending on his/her ability and fitness. The lower level of a race is called a ‘claiming race’ and this is where the horses that are not fast enough to compete at a higher class can run for a set price. This allows horses to gain experience and build up confidence before competing in higher level races.

Many claiming races are ‘conditioned’ which means that the horse must win his/her first two conditioned races before he/she can move up to the higher level of ‘open’ claiming races. In some claiming races there may be additional requirements such as a weight allowance or a minimum number of career starts.

Hong Kong’s athletes have done well at the Paris Games, winning two gold medals and clinching a spot in the top three for most events. This is a great achievement. They have a chance to win a prize fund of about HK$3 million to HK$6 million, depending on the final rank. This reward is a boost to the athletes’ motivation, especially those who are new to the Olympic scene.

Besides the cash prize, other incentives are also offered to encourage athletes to perform at their best in Paris. In the first round of the competition, a total of HK$1.5 million has been set aside for athletes who secure a top-three placement in their respective events. The money is provided by the Hong Kong Sports Institute and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the latter being one of the few governing bodies in the world to offer cash rewards to its athletes.

2024 hongkong prize

The organisers of the Future Science Prize Exhibition are now accepting applications for two competitions, the Slogan and Colouring Competition. Both competitions are open to all primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong. They can submit their entries through the official website of hongkong prize. The first zone of the exhibition introduces the background, awards, selection process and laureates of the Future Science Prize over the past years through panels, comics and interactive exhibits.

In addition to the above, the event is hosting several lectures by world-renowned scientists on cutting-edge topics for the public to gain deeper insights into the scientific achievements of the 2024 Future Science Prize Laureates. The Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM) is also organising 2024 The Future Science Prize Week from October 30 to November 3. In this series of activities, the science prize laureates will share their research journey and discoveries in the interdisciplinary and innovative academic field at the Science Symposiums. They will also engage with teenagers through the 2024 Future Science Prize Laureates’ Dialogue with the Youth to inspire them with the spirit of science.

At a time when prize money is being cut around the world, Hong Kong’s racing product has stayed buoyant and it was announced on Tuesday that there would be significant increases in purses across all Group races. The increase for the Longines Hong Kong International Races is a whopping 20%. This is the biggest bump, but there will also be an increase in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize and a rise of 7.7% for Class 1 races. This is a clear sign that the HKJC is committed to continuing to attract and reward the best horsemen in the world. The increases will be implemented in the coming season.