As the football fans among you will know, the winter transfer window closed earlier this week. While most of the attention went to big name signings by the top teams, my attention was brought to a report about a minor signing made by Premier League outfit Crystal Palace right on the transfer deadline day.
The player in the spotlight was a 19-year-old called Keshi Anderson. What makes his signing interesting is that he was playing for a team called Barton Rovers, which competes in the 8th tier of English football. Anderson had gone along for a trial and was playing in a game against Crystal Palace. The young player did not even start the game, he came on as a substitute, but he took his chance to impress and scored a hat-trick within six minutes. This impressed the Premier League club and they stepped into sign him for a reported fee of only 7,000 pounds. Reports said that the English Football Association could not recall a case of a player transferring directly form an 8th-tier club to the Premier League.
I have been following football for a very long time and it is rare to hear about these fairytale stories. The thing that strikes me is that this sportsman maintained his drive and dedication and was well-prepared and well-equipped to take this life-changing chance when the opportunity arose. He even has the chance to make his Premier League debut as he’s named in the squad for Crystal Palace’s Premier League fixture tonight. It shows that when the talent is there nothing is impossible so long as an athlete or team give their best efforts in training and in competition.
This story is heartening and inspiring to me, particularly as the Club is dedicated to various youth football training programmes in Hong Kong, which offer local youth footballers the chance to receive professional football training and further hone their skills. And the attitudes and the principles encapsulated in those training programmes, in fact, equip youngsters for life in general. We hope these will help give those participating youngsters better support, so that if they have the necessary talent and dedication, they can make their football dreams come true in the future.
It’s all just similar in racing as with the great care and patience given by horse handlers and their owners, there are also racehorses which can flourish all the way from lower classes to the top level. Khaya, who will feature in the HKG3 Centenary Vase this afternoon, is a good example as this privately purchased griffin started his career in Hong Kong at a rating of 52 two seasons ago. Taking just little more than 18 months, not only had his rating increased to the lofty mark of 110, he also ran a gallant third in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase in December.
Today he will receive another important test to his ability and credential as he will be facing the likes of Designs On Rome, California Memory and Willie Cazals, squaring off with them in this 1800m handicap. Being of lower rating, this frontrunner only needs to carry the minimum weight of 113 pounds, which may be an advantage for him in this event. I will see how he copes with this tough challenge.
I believe many of you also held certain expectation as two Horses of the Year Designs On Rome & Military Attack will face off with each other in this race. However, Military Attack, as monitored closely by the Club’s vet together with trainer Caspar Fownes, was scratched from the race yesterday as of inappetence. It’s a bit disappointing to see that but after all, the decision was made having considered the best interests of the horse and to his supporting fans. I hope he will resume to normal as soon as possible and be available for a run in the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup on 1 March.
This race is run under handicap conditions for horses rated 90-plus over 1800m. Despite the late scratching of Military Attack, it remains to be a very good and interesting race. The pace of the race is the key because if the race would be run at a good pace, Designs On Rome, despite having to carry 131 pounds, would be in my opinion the winner. The pace is more likely to be slow with Khaya in the lead, ahead of Bubble Chic who is not likely to put much pressure on him. Khaya is very fit and in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase it took a world-class horse like Flintshire a long time to pass him. Designs On Rome, who is working very well, carries 18 pounds more and he faces a difficult task especially on the C+3 course which tends to favour front runners. I would not completely rule him out to win the race but it will be not easy. Helene Super Star could be well placed and is a place chance in this race. Willie Cazals is in fine form. His training performance has been good and he’s a place chance too.
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