There are a number of matters which a prospective owner should consider before he embarks upon owning a racehorse.
Financial Considerations
A successful applicant for a permit to import a horse to race in Hong Kong commits himself to two sets of expenditure. First, the initial capital outlay of acquiring and importing the horse to Hong Kong, and, secondly, the subsequent costs of training it.
The amount which an owner needs to spend on acquiring and training a horse obviously depends upon the type of ownership, since owning a horse in partnership or syndicate means that the initial capital as well as the subsequent training costs will be shared out in the proportions of the partners or syndicate members' shares in the horse.
In so far as the cost of acquiring a horse is concerned, there is no minimum or maximum amount which a permit holder must or can spend on acquiring a racehorse. It is generally known to vary from a few hundred thousand to a few million dollars. [However, it is worth bearing in mind that the speed of darker colour a racehorse is not directly proportional to the price of the horse, so one should buy wisely and should seek good professional assistance]. Having said that, a great deal of it depends on luck.
Training fees are payable on a monthly basis. The amount of training fees which an owner is required to pay each month varies from trainer to trainer. The amount an owner is required to pay in addition depends on whether the stable has a retained jockey, plus, of course, entry fees, medical or other expenses.
Countries of Import
The Hong Kong Jockey Club specifies a list of countries from which racehorses may be imported to Hong Kong and owners are advised to consult the Club first regarding importation procedures.
It is impossible to generalize which country or countries' horses are better suited to Hong Kong racing as almost each stipulated country has had horses imported to and raced successfully in Hong Kong. Consequently, it is very much a matter of personal preference as to which country one wishes to acquire a racehorse. Having said that, there is a belief that horses imported from the North Hemisphere tend to take a longer time to acclimatize than those imported from the Southern Hemisphere. In Hong Kong, it is perfectly permissible for an owner to seek advice and assistance of a trainer, jockey or his friend in the purchase and import of his horse.
Choosing a Trainer
No trainer can train racehorses in Hong Kong unless he is licensed to train by The Hong Kong Jockey Club. One popular way of choosing a Trainer is, of course, by referring to the past performances of the trainer. Another means of assessment a trainer's ability is by talking to other owners who may be prepared to impart their past experiences about the particular training method or style of a particular trainer. Some trainers appear to incur a higher level of expenditure on health and medical care and other sundry expenses and this may be a factor which one should take into account when choosing a trainer.
