I'm sure that our many passionate football fans in Hong Kong have learnt about the news of Fabio Capello's abrupt resignation as England team manager on Thursday morning HK time, just a few months ahead of this summer's Euro 2012 Championships in Poland and Ukraine. Though the news came quite sudden, I was not surprised to see Capello, who took John Terry’s side after the player was stripped of his England captaincy, to have stepped down from his position as the decision made the Board of English Football Association being difficult to continue working with him.
Capello has earned considerable success in his England tenure over the past four years, although he was heavily criticised by the British media for his team's lacklustre performances in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But there were high hopes that England would perform better at Euro 2012 and end his reign on a high note, as Capello's contract was due to expire after this and he had already said he would not seek an extension.
England's many fans worldwide will be hoping to see a new manager appointed very rapidly, although current assistant Stuart Pearce has already been put in charge of overseeing England's friendly against the Netherlands at the end of this month.
Most reports cite the No.1 favourite replacement as being Harry Redknapp, who has steered Tottenham Hotspur to very impressive Premiership position this season and moreover is an Englishman, which many observers feel is essential to creating the best team spirit and dressing-room atmosphere. Also being suggested is Guus Hiddink, who has previously enjoyed great success with the Dutch and South Korean national teams. Both managers are very experienced and have proven records, and in my view would be worthy candidates for this challenging job.
For historical reasons, England have long been one of the best-supported national football teams among local fans. The sport has a long history here, having been introduced to Hong Kong by the British in the mid-19th century alongside other popular British sports like horse racing, rugby and cricket. All these sports still attract a strong following here today and now host their own international competitions – the Lunar New Year Football Tournament, the Rugby Sevens, the Cricket Sixes and, of course, our Hong Kong International Races.
The British also contributed many fine pieces of colonial architecture to Hong Kong, although many of these have not survived so well in the city's quest for development in the post-war years. I'm delighted, though, that today's Hongkongers, especially our young people, have developed a strong consciousness of the need to preserve the city's unique heritage for future generations.
The Club has contributed funding and support to a number of these conservation projects in recent years, and most of you will know that we have a major conservation and revitalisation project under way at the Central Police Station compound, which is due to reopen in 2014.
Rather less well known is the former explosives magazine site at Admiralty, hidden away behind the modern commercial developments and one of the last surviving remnants of the British army barracks that used to stand on this site. It includes four historic buildings dating back to the mid-1800s, which had fallen into disrepair until fairly recently.
I'm pleased to say that last Thursday these buildings took on a new lease of life when they reopened as an arts and cultural education hub named “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Former Explosives Magazine”. This follows a HK$102.5 million Club donation through our Charities Trust to the Asia Society Hong Kong to help preserve the heritage buildings and add new facilities serving the community as a centre for arts, culture and contemporary affairs.
The compound now includes an art gallery, theatre, a multi-function hall, conference halls, a visitor centre and rooftop garden. This is the first time this site has been open to public access in its 170-year history, so I hope you will take the opportunity to visit the centre and learn more about Hong Kong’s military history and other cultural issues. The best way to see it is by joining one of the free guided tours.
Back to our races at Sha Tin this afternoon, we will host the Centenary Vase, an 1800m race that also has some interesting history behind it, as it was first run in 1984 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Club. Since then it has been upgraded into a Hong Kong Group 3 event. Although we have a field of only seven horses contesting this year's race, they are all of high quality, with five having been pattern race winners in Hong Kong and four having previously won over the same course and distance. So I'm looking forward to seeing quite an absorbing battle.
With the expected slow pace, it will likely result in a sprint over the last 600m. Super Pistachio will lead with Packing Ok, with Jacobee and Beauty Lead well placed behind the leaders. Despite the small field, it is very competitive in this handicap event. With the weight advantage, I prefer Jacobee who ran very well in his last race, over Pure Champion who is working very well and Packing Ok. Sapelli who is expected to come from behind midfield is a horse who is always underrated, and he is able to win too. Beauty Lead has improved from his last run but is for me not fully fit yet.
The Crocus Handicap is a very good Class 1 event over 1400m, with an expected good to slow pace which should slightly favour horses on the pace. Bullish Champion is a strong pacesetter. Noble Alpha from his good draw is likely to be closer to the pace, with Fulfil A Wish who was badly crowded in his last run and Chater Way on his outside. Noble Alpha is working very well and is my favourite in the race, with Bullish Champion as a place chance. New Vision as well as its trainer Paul O'Sullivan are in great form, with the horse coming from midfield will be the main danger in this race. Majestic Falcon has to come from the back of the field but with his ability to run fast last sectional, he still has a place chance for me.
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