The BMW Hong Kong Derby is the ultimate prize in not only Hong Kong but the three-race Four-Year-Old Classic Series – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Exclusive to four-year-olds, the Derby’s allure lies in the fact that contenders have a single shot at glory, making victory in the race a most coveted feat of achievement for horses, trainers, jockeys and owners in Hong Kong. Staged over a distance of 2000 metres, it is the supreme test for the city’s emerging stars.

The Derby follows the Hong Kong Classic Mile and Hong Kong Classic Cup in the Classic Series. The race is well established as a key identifier of Hong Kong’s future heroes, the list of past victors attests to that, with Ambitious Dragon, Designs On Rome, Werther and Rapper Dragon among the Derby winners to subsequently claim Horse of the Year honours in the same season, while 2020 winner Golden Sixty has since become the most outstanding local hero in recent times – if not all time.

Romantic Warrior forged into Derby history as the first triumphant graduate of the Hong Kong International Sale. He crowned a meteoric rise by snaring the 2022 Derby, while last year Voyage Bubble overcame barrier 14 out of 14 to snatch surprise victory.

BMW have sponsored the Hong Kong Derby since 2013 and prize money for the race increased from HK$24 million to HK$26 million in 2024.