Brown, aged 26, has agreed to join the Hong Kong jockey lineup from April 20 until the ongoing season wraps up.

With 27 wins under his belt placing him third on the Melbourne Jockeys’ premiership, he becomes available for Hong Kong engagements from April 26 onwards.

Terry Bailey, once Melbourne’s chief steward, reached out to Brown a few weeks prior inquiring about his willingness to head overseas to Hong Kong.

“It’s a good opportunity and I’m ready for a new challenge,” Brown said.

“Terry Bailey rang me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would be interested and, I said ‘definitely’, and it all got ticked off in the last few days.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind to go there, and when they offered, I didn’t have to think twice about it.”

Before departing, Brown turns his attention to the autumn meetings across Melbourne and Sydney.

On Saturday, he’ll take the mount on Giga Kick for the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in place of the hurt Mark Zahra.

Brown’s first official ride on the sprinter comes Saturday, having previously joined him in a trial heat at Caulfield Heath on January 29.

Brown delayed the Hong Kong move previously to sustain his riding arrangement with Jimmysstar.

The galloper under Ciaron Maher’s care will kick off again in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) next month at Caulfield, followed by Sydney raids on the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m) and the All-Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in April.

For the best odds heading into the Lightning Stakes, punters are advised to review leading racing betting markets.

“The Hong Kong trip is all based around Jimmy,” Brown said.

“He’ll run in the All-Aged on the 18th, I believe, and then I’ll fly out on the 20th and spend three-and-a-bit months there.”

The post Ethan Brown secures Hong Kong licence first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

NASCAR is quietly putting the groundwork for one of the most important shifts in its modern era, starting with a major renovation of Talladega Superspeedway and culminating in an expanded, refreshed 2027 Cup Series schedule with potential new venues.

Talladega Superspeedway is one of sports’ most historic and largest racetracks on the schedule. The venue is set to undergo a major renovation, a previously unreported renovation as part of sport’s long-term infrastructure plans, according to recent reports from Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern.

While specific details are still emerging, the project is expected to modernize facilities, improve fan amenities, and enhance the overall race-day experience at the 2.66-mile-long Talladega racetrack located in Lincoln, Alabama.

In Stern’s report, according to NASCAR Holdings Executive Vice President Ben Kennedy, the sanctioning body is exploring “a couple of potential new venues” for the 2027 schedule and beyond.

While no tracks have been officially revealed, Stern’s report indicates that several cities and regions are actively courting NASCAR, including offers to host big events such as the championship race.

Julie Giese, who successfully oversaw the Chicago Street Race launch, has been tapped to steer NASCAR’s scheduling efforts for 2027 and beyond.

According to Kennedy, she is already deep into shaping the next generation of the Cup Series calendar, including evaluating the venues of the Clash exhibition and the Championship Race in 2027 and beyond.

NASCAR will begin a rotation system for the Championship race with this season. The 2026 season finale will be held at Homestead-Miami Speedway before future locations are announced. The next year’s finale race will be held at a different venue.

Kennedy, who also serves as chief venue and racing innovations officer, confirmed that several cities expressed interest in hosting series’ title race in 2027.

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is set to kick off this weekend at Daytona

The 2026 Cup Series season officially starts with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026, the first of 36 points-paying races of the season. The race will begin at 2:30 pm ET.

However, the 2026 season unofficially kicked off with the preseason exhibition Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium last Wednesday, where RFK Racing driver Ryan Preece emerged victorious.

Now, it’s time for the biggest race of the year, the Daytona 500, often called “The Great American Race,” which kicks off Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

All the track activity of the season-opening weekend will be telecast on FS1 and FOX.