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2025
Mighty Tastiera
2023 Japanese Derby victor Tastiera ended local three-season dominance in the G1 QEII Cup (2000m), stamped his class on a glittering international field for rider Damian Lane and Noriyuki Hori. While it was Lane's first victory in the HK$28 million race, it was Hori's second after Neorealism's success in 2017.
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2024
Historic third FWD QEII Success
Romantic Warrior stunned James McDonald and once again lived up to his name as he produced a titanic late surge to land a record-breaking third FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin. Peter Lau's superstar clinched a seventh Group 1 in spectacular circumstances.
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2023
Warrior strikes twice
Romantic Warrior confirmed himself among the world's elite with a commanding second consecutive success in the FWD QEII Cup, joining Japanese raider Eishin Preston (2002 & 2003) and Hong Kong legend Viva Pataca (2007 & 2010) with a pair of QEII Cups since the race earned Group 1 status in 2001.
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2022
A great Warrior
Joining Werther (2016), Designs On Rome (2014), Ambitious Dragon (2011) and Vengeance Of Rain (2005) in completing the Hong Kong Derby-QEII Cup double, Romantic Warrior crowned an unlikely advance – in the space of eight fleeting starts – from Class 4 company to Group 1 success against Hong Kong's elite stayers.
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2021
Japanese clean sweep
Loves Only You led home a Japanese-trained first four in 2021 with Glory Vase, Daring Tact and Kiseki filling the minor placings.
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2020
Purton's G1 sweep
Zac Purton scores his maiden QEII Cup win atop Exultant to become the first jockey ever to have won each of the 12 Group 1 races on the Hong Kong racing calendar.
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2019
Win it Bright
Win Bright gave Japan a third QEII Cup success over the past decade, clocking 1m 58.81s to smash Sha Tin's 2000m course record in the process.
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2018
Pakistan Star stands out
The Tony Cruz-trained Pakistan Star wins his first Group 1 race and also becomes the first International Sale Graduate to win the QEII Cup.
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2017
Neorealism makes it five
Neorealism won the 2017 renewal, making his trainer Noriyuki Hori to become the first overseas trainer winning five G1 races in Hong Kong.
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2016
Hong Kong one-two-three
For the second time since 1995 the local team filled the top three places in the QEII Cup. Werther was the winner, while Military Attack and Blazing Speed finished second and third respectively.
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2015
World's top ten
The QEII Cup rose to 9th in the World's Top 100 G1 races – the highest ranked G1 race in Hong Kong in that list in 2015. Its prize money also rose to HK$20 million.
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2014
Rising up the rankings
The QEII Cup was ranked 19th in the list of the World's Top 100 G1s announced by the IFHA.
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2010
Record earnings
Viva Pataca notched his second QEII Cup win and in the process took its career earnings past HK$80 million to become the highest money earner in Hong Kong at that time, eclipsing the mark set by 2005 winner Vengeance Of Rain.
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2005
On top of the world
Hong Kong's Vengeance Of Rain took this race en route to being the overall champion of the World Racing Championships that year.
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2003
Consecutive wins
Eishin Preston from Japan became the first horse to win the QEII Cup in consecutive years.
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2002
On the map
Prize money further increased to HK$14 million and the race gained inclusion in the World Racing Championships series.
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2001
A Group 1 race
The QEII Cup was promoted to G1 status and prize money rose to HK$10 million.
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1999
French delight
French runner Jim And Tonic took the race in 2m 00.1s, a 2000m track record at Sha Tin at that time. The race itself attained G2 status the same year.
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1998
First for Hong Kong
Oriental Express brought Hong Kong a first victory in the race since it became an international event three years earlier.
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1997
Trip Extended
The race was changed to the current distance of 2000m.
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1995
Going international
The QEII Cup was opened to international runners as a HKG1 contest.
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1992
Status upgrade
The race was raised to HKG2 level when the pattern race system was introduced in the 1991/92 season.
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1986
Twice over
The race was run twice, first in April and then on 22 October when Queen Elizabeth II was again in attendance, this time at Sha Tin Racecourse.
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1975
A Royal visit
The first running of the QEII Cup was on 5 May when Queen Elizabeth II was in attendance at Happy Valley Racecourse for the event.
