The long wait is over for football fans everywhere as the World Cup commenced early yesterday, with host nation Brazil enjoying a winning start. Although they gave their supporting fans an early scare by going a goal down, they managed to recover, and was lucky to have been awarded a very soft penalty which changed the game, scoring three goals to secure a 3-1 win against Croatia. Despite in defeat I think Croatia played very well. Should they keep this level they could still have a live chance proceeding to the knockout round.
The World Cup games always come thick and fast in the first round, and earlier this morning I also watched the “re-match” of the last World Cup final, as reigning champions Spain took on the team they beat to win their crown, the Netherlands. It was an entertaining contest but the results have been stunning, with the Oranje making a sweet revenge by trouncing their opponents 5-1. It was a humiliating defeat for Spain and hopefully they can bounce back and improve their performances against Chile and Australia in their next two group matches.
Similar to Spain and the Netherlands, Germany will face a tough task in their opening group match on Monday night as they face Portugal, led by World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo. Germany is drawn in a very competitive group this time around – a Group that many are calling the “Group of Death”. Apart from Portugal, Germany must also face Ghana, as well as the USA. There will be an extra pinch of spice to the Germany versus USA game as the Americans are coached by German World Cup-winning legend Jurgen Klinsmann.
Germany is always seen as a major player in these international tournaments but the fact is we have to go back Euro ’96 to the last time my home country won a title, and the cause has not been helped by the withdrawal of Marco Reus, who sustained a serious ankle injury when playing in Germany’s final friendly against Armenia. It’s a pity because this former player with my home team Monchengladbach played exceptionally well with Borussia Dortmund in the second half of this season. Fortunately, other key players such as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, team captain Philipp Lahm and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger have apparently been able to shrug off slight injuries ahead of the opening match, meaning that the credentials of Die Mannschaft are not further affected.
I would say this Germany team looks very talented in midfield but my concern is up front among the forwards. Miroslav Klose is the only recognised striker in the 23-man squad and he is now in the twilight of his long and successful career, so I have my doubts as to how effective they will be when they face those defensive-minded teams in the tournament. Perhaps I’m worrying too much and hopefully Germany will play as well as Spain did when they basically fielded no out-and-out goal-scoring forward en route to winning the last World Cup in South Africa four years ago.
Here in Hong Kong, we received some sad news this week. I know that many racing fans were as saddened as I was to learn about the passing of former trainer Jerry Ng on Tuesday. Jerry’s training career spanned more than 30 years, a period that began in the post-war years and continued through the transition to Hong Kong’s professional era. He remained an active figure in racing circles after retirement and sometimes I would bump into him at trackwork or on race days, even in recent years. He really was a man with a lifetime passion for the sport he loved. At this difficult time my thoughts go out to his family, including his nephew and current trainer Gary Ng.
We are proud that Hong Kong horseracing has had and continues to have dedicated horseman like Jerry. With their sheer professionalism and diligence, they play an important part in laying the groundwork for racing development going forward and in ensuring that Hong Kong racing continues to attain the international standards we currently enjoy.
Speaking of high international standards, the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting will begin next Tuesday and our fans can enjoy the world-class racing action via our simulcast on the opening day. Ahtoug and Shea Shea, second and third behind our top speedster Amber Sky in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, will both be running in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes. Should either of them win, it will give a boost to the form of Amber Sky so I’ll be interested to see how they get on. On the same day you can also watch two great mile races: the battle between Olympic Glory, Toronado and Sky Lantern in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes; as well as what could be an epic G1 St James’s Palace Stakes encounter between Night Of Thunder and Kingman, winners of the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas, respectively. I’ll certainly be tuning in to watch!
Before that, tomorrow we will host an 11-race card for the Father’s Day races at Sha Tin racecourse. In the featured eighth race, The Hong Kong University Alumni Association Challenge Cup, a Class 3 over 1000 metres, a good pace is expected in a race which 10 of the 14 runners have won over the minimum distance. One horse which stands out as a course and distance specialist is Pure Force, a horse that has climbed from a rating of 44 to 72 over his last 10 runs, all of which have been over the Sha Tin straight course. He has compiled a remarkable record of 3 wins, 4 seconds and 2 thirds over that period and was beaten less than a length in the fastest 1000 metre clocking of the Sha Tin season on Chinese New Year day.
Hong Kong Dancer is another in-form horse, having finished in the top three in each of his last four runs including a win over the course and distance. He drops back in distance and the pace should suit him as he has been closing his races off impressively of late. The horse I am most interested in as an each way chance is Roman Legend, a horse that has regained his form, is well drawn and comes off a pair of sharp efforts at Happy Valley. He has also won over the course and distance at Sha Tin and apprentice jockey Alvin Ng gets a big chance here for his new mentor Tony Cruz. Master Aetius is a place chance from his good draw over this trip.
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