It's not just the Cheltenham Festival - there are worrying signs for racing all around the globe
Macau and Hong Kong are separated by just 40 miles across the Pearl River delta but when it comes to horseracing the gap could hardly be greater.
On Sunday nearly 61,000 spectators were at Sha Tin to witness the victory of Massive Sovereign in the £2.6 million BMW Hong Kong Derby.
In stark contrast, racing in Macau will end this weekend following January's announcement that the government had terminated the loss-making local Jockey Club's licence. Racing may be thriving in places like Hong Kong and Japan but there are worrying signs for the sport elsewhere in the world, and not just when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on 26 March 2024inBill Barber
Last updated 15:23, 26 March 2024
- A year since the white paper was published and issues facing racing may yet be overtaken by events
- Listen to punters! Gambling Commission's cop-out on protecting customers' money highlights the need for change
- Britain's best races on the Flat badly need protecting - as prize-money warnings highlight
- Minister emerges from the lion's den at Cheltenham - but clarity for racing is still a few weeks away
- Clock is ticking over levy reform talks and minister's comments have increased the pressure
- A year since the white paper was published and issues facing racing may yet be overtaken by events
- Listen to punters! Gambling Commission's cop-out on protecting customers' money highlights the need for change
- Britain's best races on the Flat badly need protecting - as prize-money warnings highlight
- Minister emerges from the lion's den at Cheltenham - but clarity for racing is still a few weeks away
- Clock is ticking over levy reform talks and minister's comments have increased the pressure