I was thrilled to learn that more than 62,000 racegoers attended our season opening meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse last Sunday. The atmosphere was terrific and it was an extremely encouraging turnout from our racing fans new and old. The turnover of HK$928 million was also the best for a season opening day since 2000/01, more than 18 per cent higher than for the same day last year. I described it afterwards to the media as "a dream start" to the new racing season, and I really meant that.
To add icing to the cake, our Hong Kong runner Lucky Nine gave a tremendous performance in the G2 Centaur Stakes in Japan, losing out by just a head to race winner A Shin Virgo. Looking back at our race simulcast, I'm sure you'd agree with me that it was unlucky the horse couldn’t find a clear run earlier in the home straight. It was also unfortunate for Green Birdie to be demoted from fourth to second last for causing interference to other runners in the final turn.
If such circumstance had occurred in Hong Kong, the horse would not have been demoted to second last position. Having said that, the JRA has already decided to harmonise their objection rules and be in line all Asian Racing Federation countries. They have indicated that they will commence the process of informing their racing participants of the proposed changes in January 2012. Our Chief Stipendiary Steward Kim Kelly has spent a lot of time with counterparts from ARF countries to facilitate this land mark decision made by the JRA. It’s a great success for the harmonization of racing rules. I hope it can ensure our customers having a consistent application of the interference rule when they bet on other Asian races that have been arranged for simulcasts in Hong Kong.
Nonetheless, the performances of both horses have once again shown the high quality of Hong Kong racing and I feel encouraged with the results. Hopefully, they will perform even better in the G1 Sprinters Stakes in three weeks’ time.
In my last Blog, I commented on our newly-unveiled Racecourse Master Plan which will involve significant investments at both racecourses, with the aim of making them favourite leisure entertainment venues that meet the needs of our many different customer groups. It's encouraging to hear from some of these customers that we are on the right track.
During Sunday’s meeting, I went to visit our newly decorated Owners’ Box with Club Chairman Brian Stevenson, and we received some strongly positive feedback from Owners and other customers there. A number said that the planned enhancements were very much what they are looking for, and they would love to bring their friends along in the future. I look forward to seeing them at the racecourse soon, too!
I hope that you've spent some good quality time with your friends and families over the last two evenings of the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays. Tonight we will be aiming to continue the festive atmosphere at our first night meeting of the season at Happy Valley.
The special events that we organised last season under the "Happy Wednesdays" brand proved very popular last year, and we plan to extend them further this season, aiming to develop the Valley into a stylish venue where our customers, the younger crowd especially, can hang out with their friends and colleagues after work. Apart from beer and wine promotions, we will arrange live entertainment and personal visits from well-known local artistes and sports stars to complement the excitement of the racing action, and make every night at the Valley a night to remember.
Local bands Adrenaline, Uranus and Weathering will be our first guests of the season, performing live spots in between tonight's races. We will also have some charming models roaming the Beer Garden to meet racegoers and engage them in fun games. Meanwhile, marking the opening of this season’s 1O1O Million Challenge, you can enjoy a special draught beer offer there after the opening ceremony of the series.
So I hope you all will come along to the Valley tonight with your friends to enjoy some great racing and great fun. There is nothing I would like more than to report another "dream start" to our midweek programme and a similar increase in turnover!
The first race of the season in the Valley always gives me a special thrill, especially when watching racehorses competing so close to spectators in a racetrack right in the centre of a metropolis city like Hong Kong. In the South Bay Handicap, it’s expected to be run at a good pace with Fascinating Smile and Descartes the frontrunners to take the lead, which should give both of them a slight advantage. Good Smile should be well positioned and is working well and is one of my picks for running a place, in particular as this five-year-old is coming down in Class from Class 4 to Class 5. Well Done has dropped 13 points in the handicap from his final start last season. He should be well positioned and is for me a place chance, too. Megabucks is my favourite in this race as he’s working very well and could enjoy good advantage from his drop in class. He is for me the horse to beat.
The Middle Bay Handicap is one of the exciting 1000m sprint races, and the runner’s ability to secure a good spot in the front of the field is the key to success. Newcomer Lifeline Elite has had three trials in Sha Tin, winning his last two with a clear margin and is supposed to take the lead. I think he has a good chance to be a winning debut. His main opposition should be Spearhead, who is working well and starting the race from Gate 1. I expect him to be in midfield and challenge Lifeline Elite. Lucky Red is a very experienced 1000m runner and he was placed in the Valley before. He could possibly be a placegetter, as well as China Good who is working well too!
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