We made an important announcement in midweek about an exciting strategic partnership between the Club and the Chinese Equestrian Association. Some of you will already know that we are going to help stage the Hong Kong Jockey Club Race Day at Jinma Racecourse on the outskirts of Chengdu, on 7 November, and that will be the first highlight of our new collaboration.
I’m thrilled about this partnership. I must say it will extend far beyond our Jinma race meeting. This is a long-term collaboration and our main aim is to take the sport of horse racing in China to a new level of performance by helping to implement regulation, lay down the fundamentals of racing control and integrity, and, very importantly, integrating China’s horse racing into the sport’s international fold. I hope this is the first of many more announcements on the topic.
Whenever horse racing on the mainland is mentioned, it will draw a lot of attention as racing in China has huge potential. We hope we can use the Club’s long experience and our leading role in world racing to play a part and assist Mainland racing’s development. I’m really looking forward to November and participating in the Club’s first involvement in a mainland race day. It will be historic.
More immediately, the focus will be at Sha Tin tomorrow when we will host our first races on the all-weather track this season, as well as a particularly cracking turf handicap. The Class 1 Kwangtung Handicap Cup will feature the likes of last season’s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile winner Beauty Only, and two other talented runners in Giant Treasure and Divine Calling.
It’s run as a Class 1 and has attracted a good quality field. Lightly-weighted Multivictory has a lot of early speed and should bounce straight to the front from gate two. Wonderful Moments can cross to follow with Divine Calling likely following him to overcome the wide draw. Flame Hero could roll forward to get into a nice position, while Super Lifeline has to be careful not to be trapped wide with Giant Treasure. All You Wish will have to come from a position behind midfield. Beauty Only, Gurus Dream and Kabayan have to come from further back. But with the expected good pace and only 11 horses in the field, every horse should have a good chance to perform.
Giant Treasure's work is very good and he trailed well and is my first choice, especially with Richard Gibson's yard doing well in the first two meetings. Divine Calling performs well first up and I see him as a top-three chance. All You Wish travelled strongly in his trial and I see him as a place chance. Kabayan and Gurus Dream are place chances too
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