As we prepare to stage the 50th meeting of what has been a wonderful season of world-class competition, the Club is faced with significant challenges away from the track.
In the 2023-24 Budget, the Hong Kong Government announced a Special Football Betting Duty (SFBD) which requires the Club to pay an extra HK$2.4 billion annually for the next five years. The Club understands the fiscal challenges facing the Government and the rationale behind the SFBD proposal, especially with Hong Kong in economic recovery. There are also many livelihood issues to be addressed.
We also understand that charity organisations are facing difficulty in securing funding to address Hong Kong’s social needs. The Club’s purpose is to act continuously for the betterment of our society and we have committed to maintain our regular charity donations at not less than HK$4.5 billion a year over the next five years. To do so, we will have to dig into our reserves as contributions from the Club to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust will be reduced because of the SFBD.
Despite concerns over the impact of the SFBD, the Club remains committed to investing in our world-class racing products, including prize money, technology, development in the Greater Bay Area and most importantly our people, who have shown great resilience and dedication.
In the circumstances, we oppose any increase in the current Football Betting duty rate of 50%, which would be irreversible and would make it impossible for the Club to offer competitive odds and wagering products. Intense business competition, especially from the illegal market, is an unfortunate reality for us.
These challenges aside, I am optimistic about our future. We have weathered the pandemic crisis together and I am confident that in the spirit of ‘One Club, One Team, One Vision, we will once again rise above the challenges and emerge even stronger.
To matters purely racing, it was brilliant to watch Zac Purton showcasing world-class skills in riding a Group 1 double at Randwick on Saturday afternoon. Zac’s patience and strength on Artorius, who is a quirky horse who had shown great ability but also waywardness with G1 thirds at Royal Ascot and Newmarket last year, to win the G1 Canterbury Stakes demonstrated what an outstanding jockey Zac is.
Zac’s ride to win the G1 Randwick Guineas on Communist also underlined his fantastic form and confidence, proving his status as one of the top jockeys in the world.
Unfortunately, we were unable to cover the Randwick meeting because of restrictions imposed upon us. We have to submit applications two to three months in advance, which is not flexible enough, and it is clear we need more simulcast slots to capture these events with more of our horses and jockeys going overseas.
Earlier today, Sharp ‘N’ Smart confirmed his standing as arguably the best three-year-old in Australasia with victory in the G1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Te Rapa. His trainer Graeme Rogerson has made no secret of how good he thinks the horse is and it was interesting to hear Graeme talking about targeting the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase in December with Sharp ‘N’ Smart.
Continuing an international theme, Senor Toba contests the G2 Dubai City Of Gold over 2410m, which is carded as S2-2 as part of our World Pool meeting to be simulcast from Meydan Racecourse at 8.05pm tonight. Senor Toba comes off a last start seventh to Russian Emperor in the H.H. Amir Trophy in Qatar on 18 February. With the withdrawal of pre-post favourite Rebel’s Romance, Senor Toba is now the highest-rated horse in the field and trainer Caspar Fownes has reported he has improved since his run in Qatar and I make him a win and place chance.
The hardest to beat should come from the Godolphin Team. James Doyle rides Kemari who raced well in staying races in Europe last year without winning including a creditable second to Rebel’s Romance in the G3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood. Kemari ran well when resuming over 2810m at Meydan on 17 February and is a place chance coming back to the 2410m. Charles Appleby also has Global Storm who ran third in this race last year with William Buick aboard and despite resuming here Global Storm is a place chance
The feature race at Meydan is the G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) which is carded as carded as S2-8 at 11.45pm. Douglas Whyte will run Russian Emperor here at 1800m as a stepping stone to the G1 Sheema Classic over 2400m in three weeks. He is drawn well and I am hopeful, rather than confident, of his chances to be placed in this race against top-class opposition coming back in distance.
Star miler Real World resumes having last run in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June when runner-up to Baaeed, as he was at his previous start in the G1 Lockinge Stakes. In fact, if it were not for Baaeed, Real World would be undefeated in seven starts on turf having won his other five runs on the surface. He has been gelded since his Queen Anne run, which earned him an international rating of 124 and if he can reproduce his best form, Real World is a win and place chance for Saeed bin Suroor and rider Daniel Tudhope.
Charlie Appleby is strongly represented with Master Of The Seas and Valiant Prince, who are both place chances.
At Sha Tin on Sunday, the Class 1 Devon Handicap is run over 1200m at 2pm as Race 3 with prizemoney of HK$3,465,000.
The speed in the race will be strong from the outset with natural front-runner Nervous Witness drawn the outside gate and Campione, who has also drawn out, likely to drive forward in the early stages. Master Eight and Lucky With You are will race on speed from gates three and four, respectively.
With the fast pace, the race provides a perfect opportunity for Courier Wonder to be patiently ridden from his inside draw with Hugh Bowman aboard. Courier Wonder won his first five race starts but hasn’t won since. His nine subsequent runs have all been at Group level and at his latest he was beaten just over two lengths when fourth to Lucky Sweynesse in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at weight for age, where he carried the same weight – 126lb – as the rest of the field. Despite conceding weight to all his rivals tomorrow he is a win and place chance.
Rewarding Together won two on the bounce over 1200m at Happy Valley before narrowly beaten by Sight Success in the G3 Bauhinia Sprint. Trainer Frankie Lor sent him to Conghua following his last start third to Astrologer on 8 February and Rewarding Together is a place chance for Matthew Chadwick.
Duke Wai was seventh behind Lucky Sweynesse in the Centenary Cup Sprint and the start before ran home strongly late to take third over the straight 1000m course. Duke Wai has the rails draw and with clear running early enough in the straight is a place chance.
Of the remaining runners, Lucky With You has a light weight and he will have benefitted from time at Conghua since his last run behind Sight Success and he is a place chance with Karis Teetan aboard.
The final race on Sunday’s card – the Class 3 Suffolk Handicap – represents the last attempt of five four-year-olds to qualify for the BMW Hong Kong Derby on 19 March, including Alacrity, who is a Group 1 winner from Chile over 2000m.
Alacrity is trained by our new trainer Jamie Richards and will be ridden by Karis Teetan but his draw in gate 13 is not ideal but stepping up distance from 1400m to 1600m will help and he is a win and place chance with Ching, who is ridden by Lyle Hewitson and trained by Michael Chang. Other chances are Beauty Inspire and Happy Day.
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