I feel very excited that we are finally entering the week that is not only the highlight of our racing season each year, but also the week in which many top horsemen from around the world will be focusing on Hong Kong as they bid to become champions in our Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races.
Kick-starting our exciting international racing week at Happy Valley tonight will be the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship, an event that is celebrating its 10th edition this year. We have again invited 10 top jockeys from nine countries, including Emma-Jayne Wilson from Canada, the first-ever female jockey to contest the series. They will join Hong Kong's champion jockey Douglas Whyte and top local rider Howard Cheng to compete for the HK$200,000 champion's bonus.
Around the world there are a number of other international jockeys' competitions like the Shergar Cup at Royal Ascot in August, and the World Super Jockeys Series that has just been held at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan last week. To me, however, our own International Jockeys' Championship has always been a very special one. When the jockeys go head-to-head in the compact setting of Happy Valley – possibly the most beautiful city racetrack in the world, with an electrifying atmosphere at our night race meetings – it makes our event that extra bit more competitive, special and fascinating.
It always give me a great sense of pride and honour that we can bring so many world-class jockeys to Hong Kong to feature in this championship. I hope you all will enjoy witnessing their wonderful riding techniques and performances this evening.
Personally, I think there will be a close fight among defending champion Olivier Peslier, Hong Kong champion jockey Douglas Whyte, and Australian champion and former IJC winner in 2003 Damien Oliver for the Championship tonight. I favour Damien Oliver's chance the most as his horses are all nicely drawn which is an advantage in Happy Valley. I think it would be great to have a chance to bet which jockey would win, and I would like to hear your views and suggestions on this.
By the way, let me remind you all that we've prepared a free commemorative set of 10th Year World's Best Jockeys Postcards for each racegoer entering Happy Valley Racecourse tonight.
Please don't forget also to join our "Who will be the Champion Jockey" contest, by completing the form enclosed with the postcard set and dropping it into one of the boxes provided. It could give you the chance to win a pure gold horse worth HK$10,000 and an autographed jockey silk from the winning jockey. I hope this game will give you even more fun trying to work out your winners for the three Jockeys Championship races and then cheering on your favourites.
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