The Hong Kong Jockey Club takes home two wins at Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025
The HKJC earned accolades for transforming horse racing coverage with its cinematic visual reform project and immersive virtual graphics.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) emerged as the recipient of the Sports Broadcasting – Hong Kong and Virtual Production – Hong Kong honours at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025.
Cinematic visual reform project
HKJC launched a cinematic visual reform project to change the way people experience horse racing by using filmmaking and cinematography techniques. This project emphasises the emotions in every authentic moment that feel like scenes from a movie.
With the message “Every moment could create a story,” the HKJC is moving away from traditional sports broadcasting and is instead focussing on storytelling that brings out the passion, excitement and authentic moments of horse racing.
The Live Horse Racing Film approach captures real, unscripted moments—no retakes, no acting. It makes every race feel like a cinematic experience. Since its launch, this style has reached 29 countries worldwide, drawing in viewers through mobile apps and social media.
Using a mix of handheld and fixed film cameras, HKJC captures cinematic slow-motion montages that show the emotions of jockeys, horse owners, and the horses themselves.
The Club also introduced the first outdoor robotic camera system in Asia Pacific to capture live action of running horses. It delivers smooth, movie-like shots with precise movement.
For major international races, HKJC added new gimbal cameras to their already extensive setup of over 60 cameras. Moreover, a creative reverse tracking camera went viral and became known as the “Kiss Cam.” It is now one of the most talked-about features in the global racing world.
Additionally, inspired by music videos, HKJC applied artistic camera angles and motion to live music performances, which became the major attraction at the racecourse. This innovation included all on-course marketing activities and attracted a record total of 80,691 attendees during HKIR 2024, marking the highest LONGINES HKIR attendance since 2018.
It also features the Live Jockey Cam, a tiny camera that gives viewers a unique point-of-view shot from a jockey’s perspective. This personal look at the race from the saddle has gone viral online, with clips regularly gaining over 100,000 views.
Through creative visuals, advanced technology, and real-time emotion, the Cinematic Visual Reform Project brings horse racing to life like never before. It makes the sport more engaging for long-time fans and newcomers alike.
Immersive virtual graphics
HKJC uses cutting-edge immersive virtual graphic technology to enhance horse racing coverage. Since introducing the technology in 2001, HKJC has made huge strides in turning race day into a visually stunning experience for viewers.
What started with simple 2D billboards has now evolved into high-tech 3D animated graphics, AI-powered tracking, and real-time data integration. Using animated virtual visuals over the actual racetrack, HKJC tells richer and more exciting racing stories. These graphics show race history and past champions, horse, jockey and trainer info, as well as sponsor features and race stats.
Furthermore, as some visual elements would be too costly or impossible to build in real life, HKJC builds them virtually. Some examples of such were the giant virtual TV screen that appeared on the grandstand, showing live post-race interviews, and the drone shot showing horse photos above the race track.
As today’s younger audiences are used to game-like visuals, HKJC has matched it with immersive virtual graphics and horse racing.
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards commends companies, industry partners, and vendors in the broadcasting industry that introduce technological advancements in the field. The awards programme highlights projects and initiatives in areas such as digitalisation and engineering.
The Asia Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards is presented by Asia Pacific Broadcasting+. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your innovation and excellence in projects that advance the field of broadcasting in Asia, please contact Jane Patiag at awards@charltonmediamail.com.
