The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced Aug. 29 the promotion of Andrew Harding to executive director of its Racing Authority division, effective Sept. 1.  

 
Former New York Racing Association executive Bill Nader, HKJC's current executive director of racing, is returning to the United States after several years with the club, but plans call for him to stay on until January 2016 to ensure a smooth transition in management.
 
Harding, who joined the HKJC in 2012 as director of racing development, will be responsible for the club's role in controlling and supervising horse racing in Hong Kong to ensure the club maintains public confidence. He also will ensure that the HKJC's standard of regulation is an international leader in the sport, the HKJC said in a release  
 
The operational responsibilities of the Racing Authority division include overseeing areas relating to racing registry, racing control, racing laboratory, and veterinary regulation, as well as quarantine policies and protocol, licensing, the Racing Development Board, and equestrian affairs. In addition, the division will also drive the improvement in international standards for intellectual property rights protection, drug control, movement of horses, black-type races, quality control, harmonized rules of racing, and other matters which impact the club's growth opportunities. 
 
Harding will also be the HKJC's dedicated resource in supporting the development of the racing regulatory framework for China.
 
In assuming an expanded role, Mr. Harding will continue as the HKJC's ambassador at the international level with his roles as secretary general of the Asian Racing Federation, special counselor to the president of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), chairman of the IFHA Technical Advisory Committee, and co-secretary general of the International Horse Sports Confederation. 
 
Harding is an Australian qualified lawyer and also holds an economics degree from the University of Queensland.  Before joining the club, he was chief executive of the Australian Racing Board and Deputy CE & Counsel of Queensland Racing.  

[www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing]