THE FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup
Group 1 race
The Queen Elizabeth II Cup 2023 that took place at the Sha Tin Racecourse on 30 April 2023
LocationSha Tin Racecourse
Hong Kong
Inaugurated1975
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
SponsorFWD Group
WebsiteQueen Elizabeth II Cup
Race information
Distance2,000 meters
(About 10 furlongs / 1+14 miles)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and up
Weight119 lb (3y); 126 lb (4y+)
Allowances
4 lb for fillies and mares
6 lb for N. Hemisphere 3-y-o
PurseHK$25,000,000 (2022)

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race at Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Established in 1975 by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, it is run annually in April at a distance of 2,000 metres (ten furlongs) on turf. Prior to 1997 it was run at 2,200 metres (eleven furlongs). Sponsored by Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet since 1999, it currently offers a purse of HK$20 million (US$2.6 million)since 2014/15.

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup was first run at the Happy Valley Racecourse in Happy Valley, Hong Kong to commemorate a visit to Hong Kong by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. It was a local Class 1 or 2 race over a distance between 1,400 and 1,800 metres until 1995 when it opened to international entries. Since then, Hong Kong horses have been competing against those from the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, France, Japan and Australia.[1]

Since becoming a Group One race in 2001, every winner of the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup has been a descendant of Northern Dancer. The 2006 race saw Irridescence upset the great filly and European Horse of the Year, Ouija Board.

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup has been sponsored by the Swiss haute horlogerie brand Audemars Piguet for around 17 years now, they continue to make special edition pieces (mostly based on the Royal Oak) to celebrate their sponsorship of the event. They join companies such as Omega SA, Rolex and Longines as one of the official sports event partners that provide both sponsorship and race timers.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, no overseas horses entered the race in 2020 and this international Group 1 event became a local race.

Winners since 1995

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer
(Trained In)
Owner Time
1995 Red Bishop 7 Michael Kinane Hilal Ibrahim (UAE) Ali Saeed 2:17.20
1996 Overbury 5 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor (UAE) Godolphin 2:14.50
1997 London News 5 Douglas Whyte Alec Laird (South Africa) Laurie & Jean Jaffee 2:00.30
1998 Oriental Express 5 Douglas Whyte Ivan W. Allan (Hong Kong) Larry Yung Chi Kin 2:01.00
1999 Jim And Tonic 5 Gerald Mosse François Doumen (France) John D. Martin 2:00.10
2000 Industrialist 4 Alan Munro Brian Kan Ping-chee (Hong Kong) A. Hu Si Nok & P. Wong Yau Ming 2:02.10
2001 Silvano 5 Andreas Suborics Andreas Wöhler (Germany) Stiftung Gestüt Fährhof 2:03.10
2002 Eishin Preston 5 Yuichi Fukunaga Shuji Kitahashi (Japan) Toyomitsu Hirai 2:02.50
2003 Eishin Preston 6 Yuichi Fukunaga Shuji Kitahashi (Japan) Toyomitsu Hirai 2:03.80
2004 River Dancer 5 Glyn Schofield John Size (Hong Kong) Ronald Arculli 2:01.40
2005 Vengeance of Rain 4 Anthony Delpech David Ferraris (Hong Kong) Chow Nam & R. G. Chow Hon Man 2:01.80
2006 Irridescence 5 Weichong Marwing Mike de Kock (South Africa) Team Valor 2:02.00
2007 Viva Pataca 5 Michael Kinane John Moore (Hong Kong) Stanley Ho Hung-Sun 2:01.90
2008 Archipenko 4 Kevin Shea Mike de Kock (South Africa) Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum 2:00.80
2009 Presvis 5 Ryan Moore Luca Cumani (Great Britain) Leonidas Marinopoulos 2:02.97
2010 Viva Pataca 8 Weichong Marwing John Moore (Hong Kong) Stanley Ho Hung-Sun 2:04.97
2011 Ambitious Dragon 4 Douglas Whyte Tony Millard (Hong Kong) Lam Pui Hung 2:02.23
2012 Rulership 5 Umberto Rispoli Katsuhiko Sumii (Japan) Sunday Racing Co Ltd 2:02.38
2013 Military Attack 5 Tommy Berry John Moore (Hong Kong) Mr & Mrs Steven Lo Kit Sing 2:02.15
2014 Designs on Rome 4 Tommy Berry John Moore (Hong Kong) Cheng Keung Fai 2:01.06
2015 Blazing Speed 6 Neil Callan Tony Cruz (Hong Kong) Fentons Racing Syndicate 2:02.89
2016 Werther 4 Hugh Bowman John Moore (Hong Kong) Johnson Chen 2:01.32
2017 Neorealism 6 João Moreira Noriyuki Hori (Japan) U Carrot Farm 2:04.59
2018 Pakistan Star 5 William Buick Tony Cruz (Hong Kong) Kerm Din 2.00.21
2019 Win Bright 5 Masami Matsuoka Yoshihiro Hatakeyama (Japan) Win Co Ltd 1:58.81
2020 Exultant 6 Zac Purton Tony Cruz (Hong Kong) Eddie Wong Ming Chak & Wong Leung Sau Hing 2:00.00
2021 Loves Only You 5 Vincent Ho Chak-yiu Yoshito Yahagi (Japan) DMM Dream Club 2:01.22
2022 Romantic Warrior 4 Karis Teetan Danny Shum Chap-shing (Hong Kong) Peter Lau Pak Fai 2:00.13
2023 Romantic Warrior 5 James McDonald Danny Shum Chap-shing (Hong Kong) Peter Lau Pak Fai 2:01.92

Earlier winners

Trophy
  • 1975 – Nazakat
  • 1976 – Super Win
  • 1977 – Wing Take
  • 1978 – Nazakat
  • 1979 – Go-Getter
  • 1980 – Allegro
  • 1981 – Classic Boy
  • 1982 – Alex Flyer
  • 1983 – Fire Ball
  • 1984 – Yau Wai
  • 1985 – Champion Joker
  • 1986 – Powerhouse
  • 1987 – Forever Gold
  • 1988 – Top Grade
  • 1989 – Star Mark
  • 1990 – Quicken Away
  • 1991 – Galway
  • 1992 – River Verdon
  • 1993 – Muhim
  • 1994 – Deerfield

See also

References


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