Longines and The Hong Kong Jockey Club announce their partnership for the “Longines Hong Kong International Races” after the end of the sponship by long time supporter Cathay Pacific.

Swiss watchmaker Longines and The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) are pleased to announce a partnership for the “Longines Hong Kong International Races”. A signing ceremony was held today at the Club’s iconic Happy Valley Racecourse. Longines will be the Title Sponsor and Official Timekeeper of this prestigious event. Mr Walter von Känel, President of Longines, Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of HKJC, Mr Kevin Rollenhagen, Managing Director of The Swatch Group Hong Kong, Mr Juan-Carlos Capelli, VP and Head of Marketing at Longines, Mr William Nader, Executive Director, Racing of HKJC, and Mr Richard Cheung, Executive Director, Customer and Marketing of HKJC, were present to witness this milestone in Hong Kong’s racing history.

Speaking of this new partnership, Longines’ President Mr Walter von Känel said: “By becoming the title sponsor and official timekeeper of the Longines Hong Kong International Races and the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship, Longines is honored to be part of these great events. This partnership with HKJC shows our worldwide commitment to equestrian sports, reflecting our devotion to and passion for these exciting, dynamic yet elegant sports, which match perfectly with our watchmaking heritage of 180 years.”

Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of HKJC, was equally delighted by the new partnership. “The Jockey Club and Longines share the same values and each has a long and distinguished history. This strategic partnership further reinforces the world-class standing of the Longines Hong Kong International Races, widely recognized and respected as the ‘Turf World Championships’. Hong Kong racing is high-end lifestyle entertainment synonymous with the city’s vibrancy. Our approaches continue to raise the Hong Kong brand globally and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Longines for it’s generous support. We look forward to working with such a renowned and elegant brand as Longines.”

The Longines Hong Kong International Races provide an exciting climax to the horseracing year. The 2012 event will take place at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday 9 December. The occasion is one of the most prestigious in the international calendar with four International Group 1 races. The G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) boasts record prize-money in 2012 of HK$22 million. The G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) have also each received purse boosts and are now worth HK$15 million, while the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m), one of the richest turf mile races in the world, offers an alluring HK$20 million. Total prize money of HK$72 million makes the Longines Hong Kong International Races one of the most lucrative horse racing events anywhere on the globe and explains why it attracts many of the best jockeys and horses from around the world year after year.

In the past eight years, over 148 Group 1 winners from Australia, France, Germany, Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UAE and the USA have competed alongside top Hong Kong runners in this annual extravaganza.

Longines is also the title sponsor of the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship, an exciting prelude to the Longines Hong Kong International Races. The exciting event at Happy Valley Racecourse is recognized as one of the world’s leading jockeys’ challenges and attracts a stellar line-up of globally-acclaimed riders every year. This year’s event will take place on Wednesday 5 December and offers a prize fund to the winning jockey and runners-up of HK$800,000.

In addition, Longines will sponsor the Longines Jockey Club Cup, a lead-up event to the Longines Hong Kong International Races. This international Group 2 race over 2000m, worth HK$3 million, will take place at Sha Tin Racecourse on 18 November 2012.

Longines’ passion for equine sport dates back to 1878, when it produced a chronograph engraved with a jockey and his mount at the case back. Since at least 1881, Longines is committed to horseracing and its chronographs have been since then highly sought-after by racegoers. Today Longines’ involvement in equine sports includes flat racing, show-jumping and endurance competitions. The brand can boast its involvement in some of the most famous flat-racing events in the world, such as the Dubai World Cup, the Prix de Diane Longines, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Royal Ascot, the H.H. The Emir’s Trophy presented by Longines, the Longines Singapore Gold Cup, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Gran Premio Longines, the Longines Handicap de las Am?ricas, the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio, the Longines Grosser Preis von Baden, Belmont Stakes and the famous Kentucky Derby.