As a passionate advocate of the mental and physical benefits generated by sport at all levels, I am delighted with the launch of the Jockey Club Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme, which is designed to make basketball more accessible for students and underprivileged groups.
With its capacity to improve mental and physical fitness and create social and business networks, sport is deeply intertwined in Hong Kong’s psyche and it is wonderful the Club has committed HK$70.75 million through our Charities Trust to the Jockey Club Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme.
This initiative, in partnership with InspiringHK Sports Foundation, The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, is further evidence of the Club’s dedication to sports development.
The Jockey Club Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme is expected to benefit more than 32,000 young athletes, as well as 660 coaches, with a progressive, step-by-step approach which allows youth to explore and enjoy basketball.
From the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme to investment in facilities and developmental programmes, the Club has a long history of supporting of sport, including basketball, in Hong Kong – from the elite level to kindergarten children and the elderly.
Underlining this commitment is the Club’s pledge to double its donations to sports over the next three years to HK$3 billion.
I strongly believe in sport’s power to positively shape and change lives and I am confident the Jockey Club Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme will bring happiness and health to the city’s young basketballers.
At Sha Tin today, we host the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, which this year celebrates its 155th anniversary as the oldest charitable organisation founded in Hong Kong, with a history dating back to 1870.
The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals has continuously innovated and expanded its services in healthcare, education, social services, culture heritage preservation and traditional services and, with 392 service units, is the largest and most diversified charitable organisation in Hong Kong.
While most of its recurrent expenses are subsidised by the HKSAR Government, the Group also relies on the generous donations of its Board Members, the general public and as well as the Hong Kong Jockey Club to sustain its service development.
I wish the Tung Wah Group the very best as it continues to serve our community.
The competitive highlight at Sha Tin today is the Class 3 Wah Fu Handicap, which is carded as Race 10 and run over 1400m at 5.45pm.
The pace be good to slow with MASTER OF ALL (Alexis Badel) likely to lead from gate five. STAR SATYR (Angus Chung) should be prominent along with SNOWFIELD (Hugh Bowman).
MASTER OF ALL was very consistent last season, finishing in the top four in seven of eight starts. He is a four-time course and distance winner and trialled well recently. He should get a comfortable lead from a good draw and is a win and place chance.
SUPERB KID (Luke Ferraris) also has a good course and distance record with three wins at this trip. He shaped impressively in a trial in preparation for this race and is a place chance despite drawing gate 10.
WINNING GOLD (Richard Kingscote) is a four-time winner at this course and distance and won first up last season. WINNING GOLD is adaptable and is also a place chance.
SNOWFIELD has won twice at Group 1 level in Brazil and had three runs last season before being gelded and produced an eye-catching trial on 5 September 5. SNOWFIELD is likely to make significant improvement and is a place chance.
ENDEARED (Andrea Atzeni) and JOY OF SPRING (Ellis Wong) are also likely to run well.
Tonight, World Pool action continues with four Group 1 races at The Curragh, Ireland, with the Moyglare Stud Stakes, which is carded as S3-1 and run over 1400m at 9.40pm.
The track is currently yielding with the chance of more rain.
Aidan O’Brien has won this race 10 times and is represented this year by COMPOSING (Christophe Soumillon), BEAUTIFY (Dylan Browne McMonagle) and PRECISE (Ronan Whelan).
The Moyglare Stud Stakes is an important race from a breeding and racing perspective and COMPOSING, who is by WOOTTON BASSETT out of EPONA PLAYS, a multiple G2 and G3 winner, is a win and place chance, having won her last three starts.
VENETIAN SUN (Clifford Lee) is unbeaten with four wins from four starts and is the hardest to beat from BEAUTIFY and PRECISE.
The G1 Flying Five Stakes is carded as S3-2 and is run over 1000m at 10.15pm.
ASFOORA (Dylan Browne McMonagle) is chasing a third Group 1 victory after winning the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes (1000m) at York last month.
ASFOORA is a win and place chance but I suggest monitoring the weather because any deterioration in the track conditions would not be ideal. BUCANERO FUERTE (Colin Keane), TWO STARS (Joey Sheridan), ARIZONA BLAZE (David Egan), ART POWER (Rossa Ryan), NIGHT RAIDER (James Doyle) and SHE’S QUALITY (James Ryan) are all place chances.
The G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes is carded as S3-3 and is run over 1400m at 10.50pm.
Aidan has another strong hand with GSTAAD (Christophe Soumillon), ITALY (Ronan Whelan) and DORSET (Gavin Ryan). STARSPANGLEDBANNER colt GSTAAD is a win and place chance from unbeaten DUBAWI colt SABA DESERT (William Buick).
ZAVATERI (Charles Bishop), ITALY, DORSET and NORTH COAST (Dylan Browne McMonagle) all have place claims.
The G1 Irish St Leger is carded as S3-4 and is run over 2800m at 11.25pm.
Aidan is bidding for his eighth Irish St Leger and his best chance appears to be ILLINOIS (Christophe Soumillon), who has run well all season and should relish the conditions. He is a win and place chance along with AL RIFFA (Dylan Browne McMonagle), who is proven on rain-affected conditions and over this distance.
AMILOC (Rossa Ryan), AL QAREEM (Clifford Lee) and CRYSTAL BLACK (Colin Keane) are place chances in a fascinating test of stamina.
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