On Friday, before flying out to Sydney to attend Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney to have discussion about a potential expansion of the World Pool from races in Victoria – where we saw a tremendous start at the Black Caviar Lightning Raceday at the end of the Asian Racing Conference in Melbourne – to New South Wales, I had an exceptionally good Easter lunch with my wife in The Magistracy followed by a brief visit of some of my favourite places in Tai Kwun.
When I became Chief Executive Officer of the Club in February, 2007, I had the challenge to revitalise racing, which is the heart of the Club. Turnover had dropped from its heights of HK$92 billion a season in 1996/97 to HK$60 billion in 2005/06 and our tax contribution from racing was HK$7.9 billion and our charities contribution was HK$1 billion in 2005/06.
As challenging as it was at the time, I was very confident that racing had a bright future with the right strategy and looking at the results today in racing only our turnover has grown in 2021/22 to HK$140.4 billion, our tax contribution from racing has grown to HK$14.1 billion and our Donation to Charities which have been committed is HK$6.6 billion.
In 2007, I faced another major challenge which was the revitalisation of the former Central Police Station which the Club committed to undertake, being entrusted by the Government to take on.
The first design was rejected in the Public Consultation process and we had to start from scratch with the objective to create a public space in the middle of Hong Kong. Our objectives were to conserve the historic buildings, applying global best practices combined with Heritage Education Programmes but moreover we had the challenge to revitalise the complex by creating new spaces for Contemporary Art, Performing Art with Exhibitions and Programmes and interactive experiences and immersive experiences for our visitors from all walks of life.
We opened Tai Kwun in 2018 as a Centre for Heritage and Arts and received the Award of Excellence in the 2019 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, which is excellent. In my view, it is even more important that Tai Kwun has been adopted by our Hong Kong Community and is a must visit for international visitors.
We have welcomed in Tai Kwun more than 12 million visitors and expect in 2023 alone three million.
Tai Kwun is an exemplar that the values of the Club and our integrated business model of providing world-class racing and entertainment and channelling wagering demands for community benefits is more than dollar sign.
Some people may have the perception that we only donate money and, while I firmly believe we have to improve in our communication to explain what we do, the fact is that we are creating solutions to address social needs to fulfil our purpose for the betterment of Hong Kong and its people. When walking around today and seeing the different venues full of people, I have to admit that I felt a great satisfaction that we in the Club with our dedicated employees have created something special which very few organisations or governments can create.
Coming back to racing, which as many of you know is my personal passion and not only a job, I look forward to seeing equine stars like Anamoe and Dubai Honour at Randwick in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which is carded as S1-6 at 1:55pm on Saturday.
The pace will be very strong with Japanese entrant Unicorn Lion determined to lead from his outside gate. Numerian also led last start and should sit behind the leader, with Dubai Honour and El Patroness taking forward positions. Hugh Bowman rides El Patroness, who won the Oaks last year but she will run as one of the outsiders in this race.
Dubai Honour returned to the form that saw him rated 121 internationally in his three-year-old season when thrashing his rivals in the G1 Ranvet Stakes over this trip three weeks ago. This is a significantly stronger field but Tom Marquand will have him in a perfect position and he is a win and place chance. Trainer William Haggas has said Dubai Honour will head to Hong Kong after this race for the FWD G1 QEII Cup (2000m) on April 30. D
Hardest for Dubai Honour to beat will be Anamoe, who is unbeaten in three G1 runs in 2023. He sat wide and was very impressive in beating Fangirl in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) on 18 March. James McDonald will have Anamoe midfield, one off the fence from gate eight and is also a win and place selection at his last run in Australia before heading to Europe to race.
Numerian set a strong pace in the Australian Cup and fought on strongly and he should get a perfect trail behind Unicorn Lion and is a place chance for trainer Annabel Neasham.
Later on Saturday afternoon, our attention switches to Ascot Racecourse in Perth for the G2 WATC Derby (2400m) for three-year-olds, which was first run in 1888, and is carded as S2-1 at 3.50pm.
The pace in the race will be slow to moderate. She’s Fit led throughout to win the G3 WA Oaks and has drawn the rails and Chris Parnham will seek to adopt similar tactics again. Demolish and Awesome John should take up forward positions just behind the leader.
She’s Fit has the advantage of having run over 2400m when winning the Oaks. Five fillies have won the Derby in the last 20 years and She’s Fit is a place chance for her trainer Daniel Morton, who prepared Scenic Blast to win the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2009.
Morton’s other runner in the race Another Chino has won the two traditional lead-up races for the male division in the Roberts Stakes over 1800m and then the Melvista Stakes over 2200m two weeks ago. He ran home strongly then to beat Demolish in the final stride and he is a place chance.
Awesome John travels from Sydney for the race where he ran third at his last start in the G2 Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill on 25 March. He finished alongside Major Beel in that race who last week won the G1 Australian Derby at Randwick. William Pike takes the ride and he has won seven of the last 10 editions of this race and I make Awesome John my win and place selection.
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