A year ago, at the start of the 2007/08 season, I created this web blog as a way of establishing a new channel of communication with our racing fans. I'm really delighted to have received so much valuable feedback from you since then – my heartfelt thanks! So this coming season, I will continue to share my thoughts on different aspects of the sport with you all once or twice a week and hope you will be just as forthcoming with your views.
During the 10-week summer break, many of us in the Club have had the chance to engage in a historic mission – playing an active role in the staging of the Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong. I'm sure a lot of you took this unique opportunity to come to Sha Tin or Beas River to see the world's top riders in action on home soil, and I'm pleased to say that everything went off smoothly and successfully. Even the weather has been kind to us.
I have also attended the Paralympic equestrian events this week and witnessed Nelson Yip to be the first Hong Kong representative to engage in the Paralympic equestrian events. It was fantastic to see him competing at the home turf and I think he and his horse Icy Bet truly did a great job. There I've also spoken to German female rider Bettina Eistel, the bronze medalist of the individual Grade III championship event. Although Bettina lost both of her arms since her birth, that didn't stop her from becoming a successful equestrian athlete and she can still use her mouth to control the rein and give instructions to her partnering horse. I was very impressed as despite of her physical limitation, she still can give these outstanding dressage performances and attain such an achievement. That shows how determination can overcome one's disability.
Because of the Olympics and Paralympics, the new racing season is starting a little later this year, so thank you for your patience. I'm pleased to say you won't have much longer to wait now, though, as the 2008/09 season will get under way at Sha Tin next Monday.
As in past seasons, the Club will stage a number of special programmes and events on the opening day to get the season off to a flying start, including our second running of the Trainers' Ride For Charity exhibition race. If you were at Sha Tin for our curtain raiser last season, I'm sure you'll agree that it was an interesting and unusual way to start the new season. I thought it was a great success, as not only did it give our fans the chance to see several top trainers get back in the saddle and show off their riding skills, it also benefited two well-deserving charities, as the Club made donations to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as chosen by winning trainer Derek Cruz.
This year Derek is seeking to defend his title against fellow trainers Me Tsui and Paul O'Sullivan in this 800m event on the Sha Tin turf - and there will be even more benefit to worthy causes as the Club will make a HK$200,000 donation to local charities of the winner's, and HK$100,000 donations to charities chosen by each of the other participants. So I hope you will give these three sporting trainers your strong support by getting to the racecourse early to cheer them on. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, will also join our gong-striking ceremony that to be held in the Parade Ring at noon to mark the opening of the new season.
During the summer break, the Club has made a number of improvements to the public facilities at both racecourses, including the provision of WiFi internet access. You will also see some changes on the betting front, with the launch of our new FlexiBet service and a new Place pool dividend mechanism coming into operation. I hope these enhancements will give you an even better racing and betting experience.
Besides the Trainers' Ride for Charity and other special attractions, there will have ten regular races on Monday's programme. As alike many racing fans did, I've also been paying my attention to the morning trackwork and barrier trials recently, and doing my homework on Monday's card. In general, Casper Fownes' runners gave me an impression that they are quite well-prepared and it seems that they will give a good start. Among them, Sanziro has drawn my attention and I will be interested to see his performance in the HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup. In another race, the Causeway Bay Handicap, I will pay special attention to Spicy Fruity, who won impressively at the same course and distance in his first start on 1 July. The four-year-old should have improved further after the summer break.
May I wish you all a successful and prosperous year, and I look forward to seeing you at Sha Tin on Monday!
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