The LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint was the fourth and final international race added to the event when it was first run, as a Listed race, in 1999. Fairy King Prawn proved a fittingly top-class first winner. The race attained Group 3 status in 2000 and Group 2 one year later. In 2002, the Sprint became the last of the HKIR features to attain Group 1 status, so establishing the four-race Group 1 format we know today. The race distance was upped from 1000m to 1200m in 2006.

The race has a most illustrious roll of honour, featuring superstars Silent Witness and Sacred Kingdom from Hong Kong and Japan’s greatest sprinter, the exceptional Lord Kanaloa as well as Aerovelocity and Mr Stunning in recent times, both dual winners. The race now carries a total purse of HK$26 million. The race ranked equal 71st in the World’s Top 100 Group 1 Races last year.