Hi, I hope you've all been keeping well over the past week. Although I returned to Hong Kong last week and am now hard at work again, I promised you all in my previous blog that I would tell you more about my trip to France. As you may recall, I visited Deauville racecourse for a special meeting hosted by France Galop which included two races in the name of The Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was a very enjoyable trip, as Deauville is also a magnificent seaside resort. Many families bring their children there for a summer holiday of horse racing, the beach, fine dining and shopping. Racegoers can also visit the stables freely. They can even walk around in the paddock and see the horses close up before they race.
The highlight of the Deauville meeting was definitely the emphatic victory of Goldikova in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. The prolific filly won this mile event in style, defeating her opponents by six lengths and in record time. I think it was one of the best performances of the 2009 racing season, and the crowd showed their appreciation for the champion filly with a standing ovation. It would be a great treat to see Goldikova here in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile in December.
Apart from being able to see some top European racehorses in action, I spoke to many French trainers at Deauville. I was pleased to hear many of them express an interest in entering their runners for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races, which reflects the growing status of our flagship international event among European horsemen, and the fact that it becomes a real focus for them. One of them was veteran French trainer Andre Fabre, whose runner Crossharbour won the Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club. I had a short chat with Andre after the presentation ceremony. He was happy with the progress and performance of his horse, and said would consider entering it for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase.
I also attended the Prix Jacques Le Marois race meeting in the following day where the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano race was held. The victory of Sri Putra, ridden by well-known jockey Frankie Dettori, has impressed me a lot. I was also delighted to hear that the owner of this 3-year-old horse is also keen to bring it to Hong Kong and I look forward to seeing this young horse featuring on the Sha Tin turf in December.
There was also a strong Hong Kong presence for the week of great racing in Deauville. In the same day, a four-year-old horse named Grey Soldier, which was ridden by Johan Victoire and owned by a Hong Kong businessman, won the listed event Grand Handicap de Deauville in impressive fashion. We talked to the owner and trainer and extended our invitation to bring the horse to Hong Kong for the International Races in December. This was strongly supported by Johan, who intends to ride in Hong Kong again later this season.
During my stay in France, I also met a few familiar faces to Hong Kong racing fans, including the legendary Pat Eddery. Pat is now enjoying considerable success as a trainer in England. At the Deauville meeting, he won a race for two-year-olds with Hearts Of Fire. Pat said this young colt has a promising future and he hopes to bring him to Hong Kong in the next year or two to take part in one of our International Group 1 races. I'm sure many Hong Kong racing fans would love to meet Pat in Hong Kong again and I hope his horse will do well in the future.
Gerald Mosse has also been having a great time after returning to France earlier this year. At the Deauville meeting, he won the Group 2 Prix de Pomone with Alain de Royer-Dupre's Armure. So I hope Mosse will be enjoying more success in France before he returns to Hong Kong in October.
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