Over the years the Club has played a pivotal role in supporting local sports development and promote the sporting culture in Hong Kong. Apart from many conventional sports, we have recently extended our sponsorship to a few more new and innovative sports by pledging a HK$35 million donation to the Hong Kong Playground Association, for the implementation of the three-year Jockey Club Innovative and Adventurous “Sports for All” Programme and Jockey Club Innovative and Adventurous “Sports for Islands” Programme.
With our support, the Playground Association will introduce and promote four new sports, namely frisbee, rouliqiu, light volleyball and floor curling, to people of all ages in the community, so that they can try them and experience the fun of these sports.
The Sports for Island Programme has also been launched concurrently, giving students and residents in Islands District more opportunities to participate in various sports. The Playground Association will also renovate its Tung Chung Outdoor Recreation Camp to make it the activities base of the Islands programme and it will also become the first sports-themed camp in our city.
Back to racing, our top four-year-old Rapper Dragon again produced a terrific performance to take the Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. He’s just one step away to become the first four-year-old to achieve the clean sweep in our three-race Four-Year-Old Classic Series, when he runs next in the BMW Hong Kong Derby on 19 March. I’m sure many racing fans will continue to pay close attention to his progress and condition over the next few weeks.
Racing returns to Happy Valley tonight and we have eight races on the card and the Tsuen Wan Handicap is run as race eight and is a Class 3 over 1650m. The pace is expected to be good and should help horses coming from the back of the field to have a chance to have a late run, particularly as it seems the C+3 course often favours horses racing on the pace.
Cheerful Boy seems most likely to lead in this race, though should he not, any of the trio of Jade Fortune, Wah May Baby and Right Call are possible alternate leaders. Together, these four will ensure some good early speed. High And Mighty should sit midfield on the rail with Thunder Stomp behind him. Vara Pearl and Nitro Express are likely to be well back and aim to come from off the pace.
Cheerful Boy is in good form and working well plus his good position up at the front of the field makes him a good win and place chance, especially being the choice of Joao Moreira, who could crack the century mark tonight. His main opponents will have to come from farther back and Thunder Stomp, from his good draw and with good finishing speed, is his main opponent, and a win and place chance too.
Vara Pearl will have to come from even farther back, but should not be underestimated. As a last out course and distance winner, Nitro Express is also a chance and will have to come from well off the pace too.
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