Jockey Club joins forces with an institute in Guangdong for September launch of dual-curriculum programme to nurture racing talent

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“the Club”) announced today (27 June) the opening of the Horse Racing Multi-Function Room at the Guangdong Vocational Institute of Sport (“GDVIS”) in Huangcun, Guangzhou. The facility will serve as a training base for the dual-curriculum “Professional Sports Training Course (Horse Racing)” programme, comprising both academic and vocational training, under the Club’s partnership with GDVIS. It paves the way for the programme’s commencement in September as a “school-enterprise cooperation” model to nurture racing talent and further develop vocational training in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (“GBA”).

Andrew Harding, The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Racing delivers a speech at the unveiling ceremony of the Horse Racing Multi-Function Room. Source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club

The unveiling ceremony for the Horse Racing Multi-Function Room was attended by Feng Wei, Deputy Director-General of the Guangdong Provincial Government Department of Education; Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Ma Guochuan, Secretary of Party Committee of Guangdong Vocational Institute of Sport; Xu Ji, Principal of Guangdong Vocational Institute of Sport; Albert Chow, Executive Director of Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications; Li Xuechan, Director of Guangdong Open University Academic Credit Bank Administration Centre, and other guests.

The Horse Racing Multi-Function Room will provide students with an interactive environment to learn. Source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Club’s Executive Director, Racing, Andrew Harding said that the Club is deeply committed to leveraging its expertise in talent development to contribute to Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperation in sports and national equine industry development, “We are delighted to work with GDVIS to establish this dual-curriculum programme. It will provide high-quality vocational training and hands-on opportunities to prepare students for joining the equine industry in the GBA in the future, while also providing talent for the Club to stage regular international-standard racing at Conghua Racecourse starting in 2026.”

Deputy Director-General of the Department of Education of Guangdong Province, Feng Wei, said: “As an implementation of the ‘Outline Development Plan of the GBA’ and other similar policies, the Horse Racing Multi-Function Room jointly created by the Club and GDVIS promotes the integration of vocational education between Guangdong and Hong Kong. It is of great significance in deepening the creation and reform of a modern vocational education system, cultivating sports talents in the GBA and fostering high-quality development of the GBA’s sports industry.”

Equicizer in the Horse Racing Multi-Function Room gives students hands-on experience. Source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club

The curriculum of the Professional Sports Training Course (Horse Racing) is designed with reference to the racing certificate programmes offered by the Club in Hong Kong. The Certificate in Racing (Riding) has recently been selected for a pilot scheme under the Quality Assurance mechanism of the Guangdong Lifelong Education Qualifications Framework. The Guangdong Academic Credit Bank has completed its professional review and will confirm whether the programme meets the evaluation standards and requirements under the Guangdong Lifelong Education Qualifications Framework. The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications also attended its on-site inspection.

Success stories of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Racing Talent Training Centre alumni are exhibited on the wall to inspire students to pursue careers in the national equine industry. Source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club

HKSAR Government Under Secretary for Education Jeff Sze delivered a congratulatory message in a video speech at the unveiling ceremony saying he is pleased to see the Jockey Club and GDVIS come together to organise the dual-curriculum programme to nurture national racing talent in the Mainland, “The curriculum comes at a time when the government is committed to providing students with diversified, high-quality education and promoting whole-person development.”

Since the Club and GDVIS began collaborating in 2018, and in response to the National Equine Industry Development Plan (2020-2025), both parties have continued to work together to develop talent for the equine industry. The Club and GDVIS signed the “School Partnership Collaborative Agreement” during a meeting of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Equine Industry Collaboration Task Force in November 2023 to jointly launch the dual-curriculum programme, which comprises academic and vocational training. 

Located in the Teaching Building of GDVIS with an area of 108 square metres, the brand-new, aesthetically modern Horse Racing Multi-Function Room is a significant result of collaboration between the Club and GDVIS.

Feng Wei, Deputy Director-General of the Guangdong Provincial Government Department of Education (front row, 7th left) together with Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (front row, 7th right); Ma Guochuan, Secretary of Party Committee of Guangdong Vocational Institute of Sport (front row, 6th left); Xu Ji, Principal of Guangdong Vocational Institute of Sport (front row, 6th right); Albert Chow, Executive Director of Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (front row, 5th right); Li Xuechan, Director of Guangdong Open University Academic Credit Bank Administration Centre (front row, 4th right); and Amy Chan, Head of Racing Talent Training and Headmistress, Apprentice Jockeys’ School of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (front row, 5th left) and other guests attend the unveiling ceremony of the Horse Racing Multi-Function Room. Source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club

The first batch of Mainland students, aged around 15 and 16, will receive equine-industry training starting in September 2024, in areas including riding, stable management and sports science. Racing legend Felix Coetzee, Chief Riding Instructor of the Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School, who won over 3,500 races during his career as a jockey, will be the programme’s Chief Instructor for Specialised Courses.

The Club and GDVIS have received the governments’ full endorsement of the programme, which has been integrated into the Mainland’s sports education system. Depending on their potential and performance, students may be sent abroad for further studies during the training period. Upon graduation, students will receive a recognised qualification from government-run higher education institutions as well as a Certificate in Racing (equivalent to Hong Kong Qualification Framework Level 3).

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jaime Torres was watching horse racing on television in his native Puerto Rico in 2019 when he decided he wanted to be a jockey.

Less than five years later and just two since he began riding, Torres won the Preakness Stakes on Saturday aboard Seize the Grey. To add even more to the biggest accomplishment of his young career, his parents flew to Baltimore to surprise him and were able to celebrate his upset victory.

Torres said he made the decision to quit college and go to jockey school and thought to himself that if he does it, he needs to make it.

“I haven’t rested since then,” the 25-year-old Torres said. “I’ve been working very hard, very hard, not thinking what’s going to happen but working for it. You can’t think like, ‘Oh, that’s going to happen.’ You’ve just got to work and work, and it will come.”

Torres, who also guided Seize the Grey to victory in the Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard on May 4 at Churchill Downs, had never ridden a Triple Crown race before. He's now 1 for 1.

Sitting next to Torres at the winners' post-race news conference, 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas told him he used to live and is still close friends with the best Puerto Rican jockey Angel Cordero, who won the Derby three times, the Preakness twice and the Belmont Stakes once.

“If you can just follow in his footsteps with his desire and so forth, you’re going to be just fine,” Lukas said.

Preakness officials did not yet have an attendance figure, but the stands and infield were noticeably less crowded than in recent years — certainly a product of the on-and-off rain that fell throughout the day.

There were just under 47,000 fans at the race last year and 42,000 in 2022, which were significant declines from 100,000-plus each time from 2011-19.

Two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert was one of the first people to congratulate Lukas on his victory, which also came with his horse, Imagination, finishing seventh in the field of eight. Baffert was supposed to have the favorite in the race, but Muth was scratched Wednesday because of a fever.

Imagination's jockey, accomplished Italian rider Frankie Dettori, said he could not get the colt to relax during the Preakness.

“I think he wanted to run,” Baffert said. “We didn't really have a plan. We thought it would be Wayne or us. Frankie probably thought he was in a good spot. At the end of the day, it was a great tactic.”

AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing

Jaime Torres, left, atop Seize The Grey, edges out Flavien Prat, atop Catching Freedom, to win the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Jockey Jaime Torres celebrates atop Seize The Grey after winning the Preakness Stakes horse race, Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Jaime Torres, left, atop Seize The Grey, crosses the finish line in front of Flavien Prat, center, atop Catching Freedom, and Brian Hernandez, Jr., atop Mystik Dan, while winning the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Jaime Torres, left, atop Seize The Grey, tosses Black-Eyed Susan petals to a member of his team after winning the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Jaime Torres kisses Seize The Grey after they won the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Jaime Torres, left, kisses the Woodlawn Vase, as Seize The Grey part owner, Michael Behrens, center, founder and CEO of MyRacehorse, and trainer D. Wayne Lukas, right, look on after winning the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Jaime Torres, atop Seize The Grey, looks on during post time prior to participating and winning the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)