Meet Our Team

Michael's journey includes prominent positions such as:

• Private Veterinary Surgeon for HRH Prince Ahmad bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz's Thoroughbred Corporation in Saudi Arabia.
• Deputy Head of the Veterinary Clinical Services Department at the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
• Equine Anaesthetist for the 2008 Beijing Olympics 
• Cross-country emergency response team at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China

Throughout his career, Michael has worked closely with many elite Thoroughbred racehorses including Hong Kong Derby winners Vital King, Fay Fay and Luger and champion Hong Kong milers and sprinters such Glorious Days, Entrapment and Aerovelocity.

Michael’s areas of interest and expertise include:

• Prepurchase examinations and vet checks for elite equine athletes
• Thoroughbred racehorse management and medicine
• The international movement and air transport of horses
• Equine biosecurity and quarantine
• Thoroughbred industry bloodstock Insurance 
• The Chinese Horse Racing Industry

Michael has contributed to equine research and learning through presentations at conferences and the publication of research in scientific journals::

• Presentations at International Equine Conferences in countries including New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, India, Hungary, and Mexico.
• Teaching Veterinary students at the Inner Mongolian Agricultural University in Mainland China.
•  "The incidence and risk factors for shipping fever in horses transported by air to Hong Kong: Results from a 2-year prospective study", M.J. Hurley, C.M. Rigg, N. Cogger, S.M. Rosanowski, The Veterinary Journal, August 2016
• "Description of the incidence, clinical presentation and outcome of proximal limb and pelvic fractures in Hong Kong racehorses during 2003-2014", L McGlinchey, M J Hurley, C M Riggs, S M Rosanowski, The Equine Veterinary Journal, November 2017 
• "A Mast Cell tumor in the tracheal lumen of a two-year-old thoroughbred gelding", Hurley MJ, Hardwick J, Jones BW, Taylor DP, The Australian Equine Veterinarian, December 2015
• "Controlling the misuse of cobalt in horses", Emmie N M Ho, George H M Chan, Terence S M Wan, Peter Curl, Christopher M Riggs, Michael J Hurley, David Sykes, Drug Testing and Analysis, January 2015

Horses examined and approved for Hong Kong include:

• Hong Kong Derby Winner Furore & Champion Sprinter Lucky Sweynesse
• Money Catcher, Willpower, Chill Chibi, Cheerful Days, Woodfire Bro, Ka Ying Master, Not Usual Talent, Amazing Star, Regency Legend, Amazing Victory, The Irishman, Bourbonaire, Gallant Crown, Mega Heart, Namjong Plus, Ballistic King, Massive Action, Compassion Spirit, Super Oasis, Simply Fluke & Fireball

Horses vetted by Michael have won more than 300 races in Hong Kong, have competed in over 100 Group Races and have total earnings in excess of half a billion Hong Kong Dollars.