Earlier this week I enjoyed attending the launch ceremony for the “Fatina’s Healthy and Positive Lifestyle” School Educational Programme. This is the most comprehensive programme introduced in primary schools and will reach nearly 40,000 students in the next three years. The initiative will launch interactive games and multi-media activities to help children develop emotional awareness, build self-esteem and learn how to avoid unhealthy and antisocial activities.
On Wednesday we’ve announced the list of selected runners for the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races. We are thrilled to receive staunch support from many top connections. Of course, one of the main draws is the six-strong group selected from the Ballydoyle operation led by Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Highland Reel brought a first Hong Kong win to Ballydoyle in 2015 and he went so close last year in a gallant defeat. Prior to that, O’Brien’s runners at the meeting had been winless from just eight starts. This year, the man who set the record for training the most Group 1 winners in a single calendar year is set to run as many as six horses at Sha Tin on 10 December, once again led by the horse who is now Europe’s all-time top earner, Highland Reel, and the season’s three-time G1 winner Roly Poly.
The first overseas raiders are scheduled to arrive from Melbourne to Hong Kong next Monday and we shall continue to follow up the news and pre-race preparation of these visiting horses in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, I will be in Japan tomorrow for the Japan Cup, where Idaho will try to topple the resurgent Kitasan Black. It will be a very fun race to watch and I’m sure you will enjoy it as a simulcast event during our Sunday races.
Golf fans in Hong Kong will also surely enjoy an exciting weekend as some world-class golfers will be playing in the final day of the UBS Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling tomorrow. We enjoyed hosting several of the golfers including major winner and Olympics gold medalist Justin Rose at Happy Valley on Wednesday. He is a keen racing follower and a visit to Happy Valley completed a Hong Kong double for him as he also joined us at the HKIR last year.
Sha Tin will host the 22nd annual Chevalier Cup meeting on Sunday with the Class 1 1600m event the feature, and it has drawn a field of ten. This is a real Class 1 handicap with a rating band of 110 to 85 over 1600m. The pace is expected to be good to slow and there are a few possible outcomes with the pace. Jolly Jolly and People’s Knight could go forward with Eastern Express and Fifty Fifty nearby. Romantic Touch should settle in midpack with Citron Spirit and Booming Delight behind them. Exultant and Marvel Hero should be near the rear.
Fifty Fifty is working very well and was unlucky in his last start with no room from the 400 to the 300m and when getting a clear run he was bumped, but finished strongly. He carries a low weight and even trying the 1600m for the first time, is my first choice. Exultant is an exciting 3-year-old who had a good debut in which he rallied late. The extra distance by stepping up from 1400m to 1600m is not an issue for him. He has strong overseas form with a third place in a Group 1 over 1600m. He should be improved from the run and is at least a place chance in my opinion.
Citron Spirit had two wins over course and distance in Class 2 and, stepping up to Class 1, is a place chance too, along with Booming Delight who was only seventh last time over 1400m, and the extra distance will suit him. Eastern Express did not perform well on his dirt track outing, but it should have improved his fitness and he is a place chance in my view.
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