Tomorrow at Sha Tin we will be staging the 9th 18 Districts Cup, in which we celebrate with community leaders and government officials our joint commitment to work for a better Hong Kong. The Club has built strong ties with the districts over the years. Club sponsored projects, supported by a volunteer team of Club employees, now reach out to every one of the 18 districts. For example, the “Elderly Visit Programme in Rural Villages” has brought together the Heung Yee Kuk and the Club’s Volunteer team to pay visits to some 5,000 elderly in rural areas. This year’s theme – “Celebrating a New Chapter of District Partnership” - reflects our renewed commitment. With the District Councils commencing their new term this year, I’m looking forward to meeting old and new friends and to discussing with Councillors and District Officers what more can be done to improve the welfare of their communities.
Early this morning, I was most excited as my horse, Now We Can, ran a clear second in the Belmont Gold Cup in New York. He was drawn wide in the event over 3,200 metres, so he covered quite a bit of extra ground and could not catch the winner, Da Big Hoss. It was a strong effort for the 7-year-old and I look forward to his next start.
The annual Royal Ascot meeting is on the way next week. In recent years, this prestigious race meeting has become a target for many leading horses and connections, attracting strong participation from different countries and continents over the five race days. Like Able Friend 12 months ago, Hong Kong will again have its representative in Royal Ascot with Gold-Fun this year.
Another horse who produced a stunning performance in Hong Kong this season might draw plenty of attention from both our local fans and horsemen and those overseas - LONGINES Hong Kong Cup winner A Shin Hikari.
The connections of this Japanese ace were given a further confidence boost before he contests in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes next week. He was alone atop the latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, rated 129 for his exceptional 10-length win in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly last month. It will be interesting to see if he can ride on this great momentum, getting his third consecutive G1 win in a third different jurisdiction.
We will have more opportunity to look at the Royal Ascot meeting next week. Before then, racing action resumes at Sha Tin tomorrow as we will host our annual 18 Districts Cup day, an opportunity for us to gather with our many district and community partners, and to share a joyful and exciting afternoon in the racecourse. The tenth race is the Lotus Handicap, a Class 3 event over 1,200 metres of the C course. The pace looks to be quite strong in this contest with both Flying Moochi and Momentum Lucky very likely to push forward. Red Kylin should settle just behind them, and Regency Darling, under the light weight with Kei Chiong aboard, will also be there.
Regency Darling is making his first start in Class 3 following a win over this trip last time and he did it from a wide barrier for Kei Chiong, who maintains the ride and gets a significant weight break over the main opposition. He is my main win and place chance, especially if there is some rain softened ground as he has a win early this season on good-to-yielding going. Flying Moochi is in the best form of his career and will benefit from the apprentice claim again. I am just concerned the pace could be too fast early for him to see out the trip. Penang Hall should have some greater fitness following his last start, which came after a five-month spell. He is a placing chance for me and has been working well in the morning.
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