As we approach the final quarter of yet another challenging and complex season, one does not have to look far to find reminders of the power of positive thinking.
COVID-19 has tested the community in ways few could have imagined two years ago. Indeed, it has impacted racing on virtually every front, including the need to stage our meetings behind closed doors in the absence of owners, Club members and members of the public.
Those within the ‘Racing Bubble’, notably trainers, jockeys and stable staff, as well as Club officials, have had to adapt to changes in lifestyle to ensure the continuation of racing, while the closure of Off-Course Betting Branches has become a necessary health safeguard because of the pandemic.
All of these measures, and many others, are in line with our guiding principle that none of our activities should cause a risk to the health and safety to our participants, members, owners, members of the public and staff.
There are several other issues, too, that have contrived to make the 2021/22 season one of the most difficult in Club history but, despite the crisis, Hong Kong racing repeatedly shines with examples of resilience and determination.
On a “milestone meeting” at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, we saw Joao Moreira post his 90th winner of the season, John Size logged his 60th and Karis Teetan reached 50 wins for the campaign. Of the three, Karis is the least decorated, but his enthusiasm and positivity are infectious.
Lesser characters might have been crushed by the circumstances of 2021 BMW Hong Kong Derby defeat but, as we saw with Karis’ winning ride on Romantic Warrior in last Sunday’s Derby, that disappointment only strengthened his resolve.
John and Joao, of course, are accustomed to elite success and there is much to look forward for the rest of the season as they battle, respectively, with Frankie Lor and Zac Purton for the trainer and jockey championships.
Their ability to perennially challenge is of great credit to them in the face of world-class opposition.
The one certainty, as we head to the 57th meeting of the season at Sha Tin on Sunday, is that the competition will continue to intensify as we build towards FWD Champions Day.
The Group 1 Dubai World Cup will be featured at 12:30 am as the final race of our Saturday night simulcast presentation and the Americans figure prominently in the 2000 metre test on dirt.
Life Is Good will make his first try over the trip after stepping up to 1800 metres to defeat 2021 American Horse of the Year and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Knicks Go in his last start. He will jump and run as usual and no horse in the 10-runner field can match his speed. If he handles the trip to Dubai, he is a win and place chance to lead throughout under regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Chuwa Wizard was second in this race last year and comes in from Japan off a solid win in the Japanese Group 1 Kawasaki Kinen on dirt. He will make his run from midfield with Yuga Kawada and is the one horse in the race that can spoil the American party. I make him a place chance.
America will also be represented by Country Grammer with Frankie Dettori and Hot Rod Charlie with Flavien Prat and both are place chances. Country Grammer returned from a nine-month layoff to run a strong second in the G1 Saudi Cup last month while Hot Rod Charlie tuned up with a G2 win over 1900m last month. Both horses will be close to a very fast pace.
Sunday’s Sha Tin race meeting has been impacted by the temporary suspension of the cross-border movement of horses between Conghua and Hong Kong and we have seen the pre-declaration withdrawal of a number of horses from the original entry, resulting in smaller field sizes in some races.
The Club foresaw the risk of a potential temporary suspension of cross-border horse movements when the number of COVID cases in Hong Kong increased significantly and we alerted trainers on 4 March of the situation, while making the recommendation to bring more horses from Conghua to Hong Kong and also lifting the numbers of horses a dual site trainer can stable in Hong Kong.
It has been an extraordinary achievement to have kept the cross-border horse movement uninterrupted during COVID. We have received tremendous support from the Hong Kong Government and Mainland Government Officials have gone out of their way so that we could continue to shuttle horses between Sha Tin and Conghua, but the significant numbers of positive COVID cases in Hong Kong resulted in practically all cross-border traffic coming to a stop.
Our cross-border horse movements are conducted under a closed-loop arrangement and do not create a public health risk with all our drivers and grooms spending two weeks in quarantine-like isolation with daily PCR tests before they cross the border to drive to Conghua, where they stay overnight in isolated facilities in our quarters before they drive back to Hong Kong the next morning.
We hope to be able to resume the cross-border horse movements in the next few weeks and would like to thank our owners for their understanding.
At Sha Tin on Sunday, the third race on the card is the Class 2 Cheung Shan Handicap over 1600 metres where the pace will be only good to slow. My Sugar will be the clear leader from the inside barrier as he gets his second try over the mile distance. He failed to stay last month when he helped set a pressured pace. This time he will have things his own way with Jerry Chau riding and I make him a place chance.
Beauty Fit was very unlucky in his last start when he was blocked from making a winning run over 1400 metres. He now steps up in trip and looks primed to run another big race with Joao Moreira taking the ride. I make him a win and place chance.
Circuit Three with Harry Bentley and Beauty Joy with Zac Purton will do their running from the back. Both are place chances.
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