Earlier this week, our newest trainer Jimmy Ting was formally introduced to the media at Sha Tin. Jimmy has been a noteworthy participant in Hong Kong racing for three decades, starting as an apprentice jockey in 1988. Upon his retirement from the saddle in 2003, he began as an assistant trainer, and now, like Frankie Lor has done so successfully this season, he will start a stable of his own.
Jimmy is a great example of the Hong Kong system at work, where we are able to foster our young talent to fill many different roles within the Club. Perhaps the next Jimmy Ting will be among our new Racing Trainees that we are currently recruiting to join our Racing Development Board (RDB) programme.
The programme has been a great success since the RDB course was established in 2008, with over 1,000 people from the Club’s racing division – including apprentice jockeys, stables assistants, work riders and assistant trainers – having completed the course. Anyone who is aged 15 or above, who has completed Form 3 and who has a passion for racing is encouraged to apply before 13 July.
For me, it was disappointing to see Germany knocked out of the World Cup following their tepid effort when going down to South Korea on Wednesday. They did not play as a team and were lacking passion and energy, so they did not deserve to advance to the next stage based on their performance.
The matches leading up to the World Cup showed some weaknesses, but most fans were convinced on their past performance record that once the tournament started, Die Mannschaft would come together as a team and produce an improved performance. This was not the case, so it will be interesting to see the consequences and what steps are now taken.
In racing, Joao Moreira scored a quick-fire double on Wednesday and he pulled one back in the jockeys’ premiership race, meaning his main rival Zac Purton now heads into the final five race meetings of the season with a four-win advantage. They will both try to add to their tally with nine rides each on the Sha Tin card tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be the Hong Kong Reunification Raceday, with the Hong Kong Reunification Cup as one of the features. A full field of 13 will contest this Class 2 1200m handicap.
The pace of the race will be good with short-track specialist Baltic Whisper stepping up in trip along with expected pace from E-Super and Raging Storm, which are drawn wide. Joao Moreira has been the regular rider of both Raging Storm and Mission Tycoon, the top two chances in the race, and has elected to stay on Mission Tycoon. There is not much between the two runners as indicated by their ratings of 84 and 85, respectively.
Mission Tycoon is a win and place chance based on the way the race sets up. He figures to be placed closer than midfield and will be afforded every chance as one of Hong Kong’s rising stars. Raging Storm is also of a very high quality and will need to use his speed early from gate 10 to cross over and obtain a contending position, but he is another talented newcomer and also in top form. He is a solid place chance.
Dragon General and California Fortune have drawn the outside gates but both have ability and are place chances with a bit of luck in the running. Eight of the 13 runners are eligible for a $750,000 High Achievement Bonus, which is a one-time award to any horse that can win in Class 2 before the end of his four-year-old year. Doctor Geoff was the latest recipient on Wednesday night. These top horses remain eligible for a $250,000 top-up bonus if they can continue on to win in Class 1 during that same timeframe.
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