(Yicai Global) March 25 -- The Hong Kong Jockey Club held its first exhibition horse race on the Chinese mainland over the weekend in a move to develop the equestrian sporting sector in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Fifteen riders competed in the event on March 23, held at the Conghua racecourse in Guangdong province, state-owned news agency Xinhua reported. Around 1,700 locals and Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administration, attended.

Conghua has world-class facilities, an internationally recognized animal disease free zone and specialist staff, which is ideal for the development of the sport, said Anthony Chow, chairman of the HKJC. He believes the course will spur employment and economic development in the Greater Bay Area, which Beijing hopes to turn into a blue-ribbon city cluster renowned for science and technology innovation and high living standards.

The Chinese government said last month that it planned to facilitate development of horse sports in the Greater Bay Area and tighten cooperation between Hong Kong and mainland entry and exit bureaus and quarantine and customs houses to speed up clearance of horses, fodder, drugs and other biological products.

The Conghua track opened in August and the HKJC has sent 1,600 horses back and forth from Hong Kong since, suggesting the course is likely to become a major support base for Hong Kong races.

Editor: James Boynton