The Year of the Goat got off to a great start with over 91,000 racegoers enjoying our Chinese New Year race meeting last Saturday. I’m pleased that so many of you joined us in celebrating the Lunar New Year. We had some very close finishes to our races at Sha Tin and the exciting sport helped the day’s handle exceed the HK$1.7 billion mark, which is a new record for the Chinese New Year meeting.
Traditionally, the third day of the New Year is for going out to celebrate with friends, and over the years our CNY Raceday has become a "must do" way for Hong Kong people to enjoy the festivities and try out their New Year luck. The roar of the crowd when the starting gates open is truly a unique experience. So we always try to make it not just an afternoon of great sport but also a fittingly festive and auspicious occasion.
This year, as you know, the Club is celebrating its 130th Anniversary, so we pulled out the stops even more. The dragon and lion dance teams who opened the show were more energetic than ever, while our three singers Andy Hui, Ram Chiang and Rita Carpio proved popular with racegoers of all generations. And of course we had many auspicious decorations around the racecourse, as well as Mak Ling Ling giving her fortune tips for the Year of the Goat. All of them seem to have been very well received, as witnessed by the fact that close to 10,000 racegoers, Owners, Members and general racing fans arrived at Sha Tin Racecourse as early as 11 am, an hour-and-a-half ahead of the first race, to enjoy the vibrant holiday atmosphere.
It has been noted that there was a slight drop in total attendance from 98,000 to 92,000 for both racecourses compared with last year, but I'm of the view that this is not something to be concerned about and the day’s attendance was probably around the optimal figure - because from what I observed and heard, it did not feel so overcrowded as in the past two years. It is more on our priority list to offer good customer experience and that means we want all of our customers to enjoy the races in comfort and stay through to enjoy our feature race, instead of simply come and go for the door gift.
The day’s feature race was a great spectacle. The Chinese New Year Cup might have had only eight runners, but it was pleasing to see Real Specialist return to top form with a surging late run to beat favourite Divine Calling by half a length. It shouldn't really have been a big surprise, as although Real Specialist had a disappointing 2013/14 season,he is an eight-time past winner and was one of 21 Hong Kong horses listed in the World Thoroughbred Rankings in 2013, with an international rating of 116.
After watching the replay, I feel Divine Calling was a bit one-paced in the final stage of the race. I know he is likely going to the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup next month, so let’s see if this consistent grey will benefit from a more solid tempo. He has never been out of the top three in his four starts in Hong Kong, and before coming here won the G2 Stutt Stakes in Australia and ran a close second in the Caulfield Guineas, being chased home on both occasions by Shamus Award who went on to win the Cox Plate in his next start.
Super Lifeline ran well for third in the Chinese New Year Cup though he didn’t get a clear run until the final 100m. He finished the race very well and will be a force to reckon with if, as planned, he reappears in the Hong Kong Macau Trophy in two weeks’ time to defend his title.
Tonight the action will move to Happy Valley, which will host its first night meeting in the Year of the Goat with another special programme of festive activities laid on for you. There will be nine races on tonight’s card, with the first starting at 6:45pm. For the first time, we will allocate a Quartet & First 4 Merged Pool jackpot to celebrate the seventh day of Chinese New Year, which marks the Chinese tradition of “everybody’s birthday”, with a total of $1.8 million on offer.
Tonight’s meeting is the last night meeting in February, which also means the season’s 1O1O Million Challenge will enter its final stages. Harbour Master and All Great Friends are in the top two positions with 49 points and 44.5 points respectively. Neither of them are entered for the races tonight, but joint-third runner Regency King (36 points)will feature in the last race, a Class 2 over 1650m. A win here will see him leapfrog the leaders and go to the top of the Million Challenge. It will be interesting to see how this Chris So trainee gets on this evening.
For the eight races on the card the Kennedy Handicap is a Class 2 over 1650m and will be run as the last race of the day. The pace should be good, which would give every horse a fair chance. Bullish Boy and Regency King may share the lead, while Trump can take the box seat on the inside of Chater Dream, Wonderful Moments or Fat Choy Hong Kong. Formula Won and Noble Deluxe can be well placed while Universal Union is at risk of being caught wide from gate 9. Universal Union is working very well and was a nice trial winner so, despite his gate, he is a win and place chance. Formula Won is another win and place chance for me as are Chater Dream and Albiceleste. Wonderful Moments is another chance but it is his first start at Happy Valley, which is always a risk especially as his trial at Happy Valley came before his first ever run and so is not very conclusive.
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