When people in Hong Kong talk about highly paid professionals, many may immediately think of A-list stars in the entertainment industry. Yet when it comes to earning potential, the city’s leading jockeys are every bit as impressive.
According to Hong Kong Jockey Club figures, 2025/26 Champion Jockey Zac Purton rode 143 winners during the season, with his mounts earning a combined HK$248,377,495 in prize money, the highest total among all jockeys. Hugh Bowman ranked second with HK$141,724,075, while Andrea Atzeni’s mounts earned HK$101,492,600. Even K C Leung, who finished further down the standings, partnered horses that earned HK$63,310,600 in prize money.
Of course, jockeys do not take home the full amount. Under Hong Kong Jockey Club racing rules, a jockey receives 10 per cent of the prize money earned by a winning mount and 5 per cent for horses finishing second to sixth, in addition to riding fees. As a result, the prize-money share earned by elite jockeys over a full season can be substantial, although the income gap between those at the top and those further down the rankings is considerable.
For example, H T Mo had 169 rides and six wins last season, with his mounts earning approximately HK$12.57 million in prize money — nearly 20 times less than the total earned by Purton’s mounts.
Behind the high earnings, however, comes significant sacrifice. Jockeys must constantly manage their weight, ride trackwork in the early mornings and accept the ever-present risk of falls and serious injury during high-speed races. The success and rewards enjoyed by leading jockeys are built on years of training, strict discipline and considerable physical risk.
So while it is easy to admire the earnings of riders such as Purton, it is also worth remembering that the rewards of being one of racing’s highest-paid professionals are never earned easily.