In less than half a day’s time we will bid farewell to 2015 and enter 2016. So it’s perhaps the most suitable time for us to round up some of the highlights in Hong Kong racing and the Club’s operation over the past 12 months.
I think it’s pretty safe to say that Hong Kong racing experienced a vibrant year in 2015. Earlier in the year our six existing G1 events last year were all included in the list of World’s Top 100 G1s, while a record equaling 23 Hong Kong-trained horses listed in the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. And in my opinion the paramount of all is in April when Able Friend became the first Hong Kong horse to attain the top position in the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, thanks for his dazzling display in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup the previous month.
Extending our strong overseas performances from 2014, our top horses Aerovelocity and Dan Excel scored emphatic successes in top class overseas events in Japan and Singapore. Despite Peniaphobia being the only local winner we had in the four G1 events in the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races earlier this month, I was still much thrilled to see our Turf World Championships being hailed by many racing media and journalists as one of the world’s best, and the most exciting and successful HKIR in its history.
Our race attendance last season reached a 12-year high of 2.07 million. For our racing turnover it rose further to a new record of HK$107.9 billion. Not only had that attributed to our tax payments and levies to the government and the Lottery Fund recorded an all-time high of HK$21.22 billion, it also kept us in a strong financial position and further consolidated our ability to allocate more funds for charity causes. The donations made in last fiscal year attained a new record of HK$3.87 billion - almost doubled to the figure of HK$1.95 billion we made just two years back in 2012/13.
Having said that, I must stress that we will not be complacent, nor underestimate the challenges as posed by the current market sentiment and economic outlook. We will continue to make improvements and provide our customers the best racing products, service and racecourse experiences in the New Year.
I wish you all a smooth and successful year in 2016, and also a lucky start in our New Year’s Day meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse tomorrow. There are two major Group 3 races to open the new year, the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy at 1000 metres as race 8 and the Chinese Club Challenge Cup at 1400 metres as race 9. Both races are run under handicap conditions.
The Bauhinia Sprint Trophy is a true test of speed and the 1000m straight dash has a deserved reputation as a specialist distance. Amber Sky has won seven of 16 races over this trip and Rad has won four of six. These two course and distance specialists will go forward and their natural speed will ensure a solid tempo. For the sixth straight time, Amber Sky has a new jockey as Gerald Mosse gets the call and the Group 1 winning sprinter has not raced or trialed in over two months. He has a good first up record and has a place chance on class alone. Many horses in this race, including Rad, Domineer, and Bundle Of Joy are first up with the Bauhinia Sprint as a race to target. Rad won the Bauhinia Sprint last season when the race was run in April and enters this season's contest with a 27 pound increase in body weight. His last trial at Happy Valley was very good and he is also very good when freshened and is also a place chance.
Bundle Of Joy will use his speed to cross over early and secure a contending position near the lead and has been training exceptionally well. He will add blinkers for the first time to sharpen his speed and is always a big chance over this course and distance. Given the handicap conditions, Strathmore is a win and place chance for me after being scratched from the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint on International Day. He is a versatile sprinter and enters the race in good form. He won over the course and distance in smart time on Season Opening and should not be overlooked here.
In the Chinese Club Challenge Cup, the pace will be less genuine as many of the runners are dropping back in distance, leaving Super Lifeline, Multivictory and Secret Sham to establish the running. The pace will be slow and, for that reason, Contentment is likely to stride forward and be very close to the pace. This will be a tactical race and the up and coming Packing Pins will need to avoid being trapped wide in the early going. He is a win and place chance for me in his current form and over his best course and distance. Contentment is also in good form and should go very close. Gurus Dream and Multivictory are place chances.
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