The Macau Jockey Club (MJC; traditional Chinese: 澳門賽馬會; simplified Chinese: 澳门赛马会; pinyin: Àomén Sàimǎhuì; Jyutping: ou3 mun4*2 coi3 maa5 wui6*2, Portuguese: Jockey Clube de Macau) was an organization providing horse racing and betting entertainment in Macau, China. At its peak, the Club was one of the largest private employers of Macau with around 1,400 employees and around 1,100 part-timers.

Macau Jockey Club
Founded1980 (as Macau Trotting Club)
HeadquartersMacau
Key people
Dr. Stanley Ho, Chairman
Angela Leong On Kei, Vice Chairman and Executive Director
ProductsBetting, sports
Number of employees
2500
Websitehttp://www.mjc.mo/

The Macau Jockey Club ceased operation on April 1, 2024, with the final meeting held at Taipa Racecourse two days earlier on March 30, 2024.

History

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The club began as the Macau Trotting Club in 1980 in an attempt to introduce harness racing in Asia, but it was not a popular sporting event and gave way to the formation of the current thoroughbred racing club in 1989.

The Macau Jockey Club ceased operation on April 1, 2024, with the final meeting held at Taipa Racecourse two days earlier on March 30, 2024. Plummeting wagering turnover and a substantial reduction in the horse population meant that the Club was no longer economically viable.[1][2] The Macau Jockey Club halted its operations six months before its close partner, the Singapore Turf Club, was also due to close its doors.

Taipa Racecourse

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Taipa Racecourse
 
View of the racecourse
LocationTaipa, Macau
Owned byMacau Jockey Club
Date opened1980
Capacity15,000 (grandstand), 3,000 (Racing Complex)[3]
Course typeThoroughbred
Official website

The Macau Jockey Club has one track on Taipa converted from the old trotting track. The old track is now the 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) inner sand track and the 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) newer outer track is turf. The track has a grandstand seating area for 15000 spectators and Race Complex for 3000.[4]

The main stables at the MJC can house 1183 horses, 60 at a quarantine stable and 28 at spelling stables.[5] The track has an equine hospital to handle minor care to surgery.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Standard, The. "Macau govt to ends contract with local Jockey Club in April". The Standard. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  2. ^ "Macau's final race meeting arrives: 'Everyone is just going through the motions'". South China Morning Post. 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  3. ^ "Macau Jockey Club - Racecourse Facilities".
  4. ^ "Macau Jockey Club - Racecourse Facilities".
  5. ^ "Macau Jockey Club - Stables Facilities".
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