If you were watching last Saturday night's simulcast of the Dubai World Cup raceday, I'm sure you won't fail to have been moved by the very touching scenes following the memorable victory of Victoire Pisa in the final big race. The Japanese connections in Meydan were simply overcome with emotion as they celebrated the result, while Italian jockey Mirco Demuro, interviewed on his ride back to the paddock, broke down in tears as he dedicated this historic victory to the whole Japanese community.
To add to the drama, Transcend came in second to complete a one-two World Cup finish for Japan in this US$10 million race. This unprecedented result will provide a much-needed morale boost for the Japanese people, who in the past three weeks have had their normally peaceful lives shattered by the earthquake, the devastation of the resulting tsunami and the severe nuclear threat now clouding the nation.
Demuro has been riding in Japan for several years now during the winter break of the European flat racing season, so it's not difficult to understand why he feels so strongly for his adopted "second home" at this challenging time. But I know there is equal concern here among our racing fans in Hong Kong, and it was clear from the scenes at Meydan that the whole global racing community shared the emotions of the Japanese contingent after this remarkable victory.
It's amazing how sport can sometimes bring out the best in people and spur them on in times of hardship. I know that at the Hong Kong Sevens on Sunday, the New Zealand team expressed their determination to win as a tribute to the people of Christchurch, who have also suffered the tragedy of an earthquake in recent weeks – and win the Cup they did, to similar scenes of high emotion. It was also heart-warming to see the huge support given by the crowd to Japan's team, who came close to winning the Bowl.
With the Formula One season also getting off to a delayed start on Sunday, it was a great weekend for sport, and I was delighted to learn that our simulcast of the six Dubai races attracted total turnover of HK$108.7 million, the highest recorded since we were granted 15 additional simulcast dates at the start of last season. No doubt the fact that Hong Kong has six home-trained horses contesting the Dubai World Cup meeting helped boost local interest, but in general there has been steadily-growing support for our simulcast programme this season. This is a very encouraging trend as it shows that our local racing fans are following the sport more closely at international level.
I'm even happier to learn that for the first time we will have a Dubai World Cup winner racing on our home turf, as the connections of Victoire Pisa have already said they will bring this four-year-old horse to Hong Kong for the Audemars Piquet QE II Cup on 1 May. He will leave Dubai for Hong Kong this Friday. It's also highly likely that Dubai Duty Free winner Presvis, along with runners-up River Jetez and Wigmore Hall will come here to contest this 2000m Group 1 event, which would give the race one of its strongest-ever line-ups.
This year, our other springtime international race, the BMW Champions Mile, is being run a week earlier than the AP QE II Cup on Monday 25 April, and it also looks likely to draw some attractive overseas contenders, too. They may well include France's Royal Bench, who ran fourth in the Dubai Duty Free and second in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile, plus three of the top four horses in the G2 Godolphin Mile – winner Skysurfers, 3rd-placed Red Jazz and 4th-placed Premio Loco. Incidentally, Red Jazz is owned by our former Chairman Ronald Arculli.
We will announce the selected runners of these two international G1 events within the next two weeks. But in the meantime, we have eight interesting domestic races on our Happy Valley track this evening. In the John Peel Handicap, the first leg of the Triple Trio, it’s a very competitive race. The pace is expected to be good but at the C Course being on the rail and on the pace usually gives you an advantage. With Gold Winner out of Gate 11, as well as Flora Danica out of Gate 7, Superior Warrior from Gate 10 will have to work earlier to get across and try to lead. With his consistent form and very good trackwork performance, this three-year-old has a good chance in this race. However, Track Lightning is my favourite horse in this race. Starting from Gate 5 he should be able to get a good position just behind the leaders. He’s an improving horse who is working well. The race is actually rather wide open as other runners such as Home With Glory, Joyful Joyful and Hot Pepper can also enter the frame.
The Matheson Handicap, second leg of the Triple Trio, is also quite open. The expected good to fast pace will ensure a fair chance for every horse. Frontrunners Gilded Flight and Juggernaut from Gate 11 and Gate 10, as well as Blade Force out of Gate 8, are all drawn wide and will need to work early to get to the front. Lotus Love should be well placed and with his improving form, he will be one of the main contenders in this mile race. The same applies to Sure Forward, who will be partnered by Douglas Whyte. He’s my top pick in this race. Romancing Tamar from Gate 9 will have to avoid to be kept wide. Smart Kids is working well but my main concern is that his Happy Valley record is not quite outstanding so far, but I think he has the ability to sneak in for a place finish.
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