A superb Saturday crowd of more than 63,000 joined us and helped create a sensational atmosphere at the season opening meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse last weekend. The turnover for our 10 races reached a record high for a season opening meeting at HK$1.214 billion, which was up by more than five per cent when compared with the figure last year. Our turnover figures from commingling rose even more for a season opener, up a staggering 41 per cent for the day, having more overseas partners this season than last year.
Having such a positive result at the beginning of the season is a healthy indicator and truly provides great encouragement for us all in the Club. I believe Danny Shum and Me Tsui were quite pleased with their starts too, as both trainers notched multiple wins on Saturday. Nash Rawiller enjoyed a positive start to the campaign with a double from the first five races while apprentice Jack Wong led throughout in two of the last four races of the day. Our reigning Most Popular Jockey Kei Chiong earned a win and showed her resilience after an earlier fall. The internal competition amongst our apprentices will continue to be great fun for our racing fans to follow throughout the season.
More heated race battles and, of course, the party atmosphere return to our city racetrack after the two-month break as our Happy Wednesday themed meeting kicks off at Happy Valley tonight. The night also marked the start of the season’s Happy Valley Million Challenge series, which runs through 15 February. Performances in races at Class 3 and higher are eligible for points throughout the season with HK$1 million prize money on the line.
The Yau Oi Handicap is the last race of today’s meeting in Happy Valley and is the best race, being a Class 2 event over 1200m. There seems to be a significant amount of pace in this race, with Charity Joy likely to go forward from gate 7 and many horses drawn wide showing an interest in racing handy. Those include Righteous, Almababy and Hella Hedge. Blocker Dee and Pablosky can also be forward, but likely will sit off the lead. Mr Bogart should trail behind them without being too close to the pace. Hammer King, Travel Renyi and High Five should be in midfield. The good to fast pace will help horses coming from off the pace.
Mr Bogart should be well positioned in midfield and is working well and with his good trial in Happy Valley on 2 September, plus with Joao Moreira on board, makes him the horse to beat. Hammer King is, in my view, his strongest opponent as he trialed very well in Happy Valley last week. High Five, Blocker Dee and Almababy, from the in-form Me Tsui yard, all have good chances to be placed.
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