Written by Keely Mckitterick
Cover image courtesy of the Macau Jockey Club
In a shock announcement on Monday, it was learnt that thoroughbred racing will cease in Macau in April this year.
The Macau Jockey Club has announced that it will terminate its contract with the Macau Government to race there. According to Zhang Yongchun, the Secretary for Administration and Justice for the Macau Government, the MJC approached the government in 2023 about cancelling its contract to operate horse racing in the region.
The MJC made a decision to put an end to horse racing activities due to operational difficulties and the sport's inability to meet the current development needs of society. However, the MJC continued to hire new staff members and horse owners purchased horses with the intention of racing in Macau, unaware of the plans to discontinue the sport. Despite this, the MJC's contract to run racing was extended until August 2042.
The Macau Jockey Club's racecourse | Image courtesy of the Macua Jockey Club
Macanese Government officials explained that the declining popularity of racing in Macau was the reason behind the decision to accept the MJC's request to terminate the contract. Racing will continue until April 1. While the MJC and the Government finalise their plans for the end of the MJC's tenure at Taipa Racecourse, which is close to several major casinos in the city. Additionally, plans will be put into place for the MJC's staff and for the transportation of the horses to new homes.
It was also announced that there will not be a public tender for a new operator to take over the horse racing license in Macau. Instead, the land where the racecourse is located will be returned to the government. The MJC, which currently employs 570 staff and has around 205 horses racing within its jurisdiction, once had a peak population of 1200 horses.
The sudden and shock closure to another racing jursdiction follows announcment last year that racing in Singapore would cease in October 2024.
