After last weekend’s historic results in Singapore we have another big weekend of exciting sport to look forward to, with the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday coinciding with our simulcast of the Japanese Derby from Tokyo.
Before we get to those big races, football fans will no doubt pay close attention to the Champions League final at Wembley tonight. I know I will be watching intently as this year two teams from Germany, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will compete for the biggest prize in European club football.
My anticipation increased on Wednesday when I attended the kick-off ceremony for the second annual Jockey Club Youth Football Development Programme – Summer Scheme and talked to the young footballers. As I’m sure many of you know, the Club has long been dedicated to youth sports development and this particular programme is funded by a HK$12million donation from the Club’s Charities Trust. Youth development is so important in all walks of life; this programme gives young footballers the opportunity to develop their skills and the very best will gain the chance to train with Manchester United’s elite coaches.
I’m sure each of those young players I saw on Wednesday dreams of one day running out in a Champions League final. One youthful player I will be keeping a close eye on at Wembley on Saturday is Marco Reus. This fast, skillful footballer spent his youth at Borussia Dortmund before leaving the club to further his career. After spending a successful two and a half years at my home town club Borussia Moenchengladbach he returned to Dortmund. Now he is in a Champions League final with the club that first saw his potential as a young boy – I expect him to be one of the game’s defining players. Bayern of course has a formidable strike force in Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben and Mario Mandzukic and they have given defences across Europe a hard time this season. I expect a very close game but I think Bayern may just edge it 2-1.
On Sunday, the last top-level race of our season here in Hong Kong promises to live up to the excitement we have experienced in all our big races so far this season. We have a strong field for the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2400m and there is the added interest of a rematch between the HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup first and second, Dominant and the improving Willie Cazals. Only a nose separated the pair over the course and distance in that race, when Dominant conceded 14lbs in weight carried, but there are others in the quality field of 10 that I expect will also have a big say in this race, which so often crowns our Champion Stayer.
California Memory is the top-rated horse in the field 6lbs clear of the horse rated officially the next best, Thumbs Up. I will be interested to see if California Memory can cope with the step beyond 2000m for the first time in his career and deliver that trademark late burst we all love to see. If he stays the distance he would be hard to beat, but I have my doubts looking at his pedigree. The expected slow pace should help him but I am of the view that Dominant will outstay him. Willie Cazals will have to come from the back and is for me a place chance especially because he is working very well.
As well as a really good sprint race, the HKG3 Sha Tin Vase, I’m very pleased that Sunday’s racing action includes simulcast coverage of the G1 Japanese Derby. This is the first time that we have simulcast this historic and important race to Hong Kong fans. The Japanese Derby has a strong tradition as a stepping-stone to great achievements for the best of Japan’s three-year-olds. Among the well-known names that have won the race in recent times are this year’s G1 APQEII Cup third Eishin Flash and outstanding champions such as Deep Impact, Vodka and Orfevre. With world horseracing drawing ever closer as horses travel to compete at the very elite level, I will be observing with interest to see which new star or stars might emerge from this year’s race. I know the Satsuki Sho winner Logotype is well-regarded and I have heard good reports about another runner, Kizuna. Let’s see how these two major contenders perform in this race tomorrow.
Comment
