During the running of every race, many of you will no doubt have noticed that two cars use the service track to follow the horses. Actually, one of those cars carries Club vets and the other carries paramedics. This routine but important procedure means that these medical experts can offer instant assistance and medical attention whenever necessary.
During non-race days, the service track at Happy Valley Racecourse has another important function, as it turns into a jogging track available to the public. It is in fact a landmark track for many distance runners in Hong Kong. Every day from my Jockey Club office, at all hours it seems, whether day or night, there will always be at least dozens and sometimes even hundreds of joggers training out there. It is one of the training tracks recommended by the event organisers of the Hong Kong Marathon, which takes place tomorrow, and I know that many of the participants will have done a lot of their preparations for that major local sporting event at the Happy Valley jogging track.
With the track being easily accessible, I know that many distance running trainers arrange courses for their trainees there. It is the venue used by the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association in hosting its pre-Marathon training programme. I’m glad that apart from its purpose for racing, our racecourse facilities are so popular with the Hong Kong community on non-race days and have such a high usage among members of the public. It’s a similar case with Penfold Park inside Sha Tin Racecourse.
I believe many of you participating in the marathon event tomorrow, regardless of whether you will be running in the full marathon, half-marathon or 10km, will have gradually reduced your amount of training over the past week, so as to give yourself better recovery and ensure that you are the in best physical condition for the race. Although I’m not available to take part in the event this year, as a fond runner I maintain my habit of running every morning, even when I’m away overseas. It helps me feel fresh and invigorated before I head to the office and is a great way to start my day.
As one of the major local enterprises, the Club will also send a team to take part in the event tomorrow. I wish them, and all of you who will be there tomorrow, a safe race. I hope that you will all put in your best performances, and most importantly, enjoy the run.
Long distance running requires runners to undertake regular long-term training so as to build up their endurance and better cope with the strenuous challenge on competition day. Certainly the runners also need to have a strong mentality and a determined attitude so that they can push through and finish the journey, but it’s also vital for them to balance their energy. Say like if they run too fast in the early stages they could risk fatigue in the later stages and fail to deliver a strong finish.
It is similar in racing as all racehorses need to be worked regularly and have comprehensive training schedules, so that they can be in the best possible condition to achieve good results in races. While fast gallops to improve sharpness would be important for sprinting horses, trainers would strike a balance and arrange longer gallops for those middle and longer distance horses in training, so as to build up their stamina and endurance to cope with the longer race distances.
Some top middle and longer distance gallopers will battle at Sha Tin tomorrow in the HKG1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup, over the distance of 2000m. Despite the absence of last year’s winner Ambitious Dragon, this second leg of the HK Triple Crown Series has still attracted a star-studded line-up, led by the 2011 winner California Memory. He will face a six-pronged assault from John Moore’s yard, led by Xtension, who will be partnered by Douglas Whyte for the first time, and Dan Excel, whose ran impressively both in the Stewards’ Cup and Centenary Vase. I’m looking forward to see how they perform in this exciting event tomorrow.
The Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup is one of our sporting highlights of the season, being a Group 1 over 2000m run under weight for age conditions, with all horses in the race tomorrow carrying 126 pounds! The pace is expected to be good to slow with no real leader in the race. Dan Excel shared the lead in the Hong Kong Cup and is likely to use the same tactic to overcome his wide draw. Xtension can take the box seat on the inside of Same World or Pure Champion. It will be interesting to see if California Memory tries to get a place in midfield or goes back because he is much more versatile now than in his earlier days. Fay Fay from gate 4 will be in midfield with Zaidan likely to go back to avoid racing wide.
California Memory is working really well and with his very strong finishing speed is the horse to beat. Dan Excel is in good form and is a place chance for me, as is Pure Champion who can run strong last sectionals too.Fay Fay seems to have come back to his best form. He ran a very fast time over the last 400m in his last start and I would see him as a place chance also. Military Attack is working well and although I have some reservations about his stamina, he still could be placed.
Comment
