A busy weekend lies ahead for Hong Kong’s racing professionals, starting with a significant event at Conghua this afternoon.
Our vision for a world-class racecourse and training centre in Mainland China has been a decade in the making, so it is hugely exciting to see all the elements that go into staging a formal raceday finally coming together.
Today is a dress rehearsal for our Exhibition Raceday on 23 March and with just four weeks to go it is essential that we replicate the feel and format of an actual race meeting in every way possible.
With that in mind the programme for today’s five barrier trials will follow an identical timetable to the big day itself and all the disciplines of a normal meeting – from mounting yard protocols to post-race presentations – will be followed in detail.
It is good to see that star riders like Zac Purton and Joao Moreira were involved and their feedback about the track and the facilities will be valuable in helping ensure that Hong Kong racing’s usual high standards are all firmly in place for next month and beyond.
There’s no question that Conghua is proving its worth as a training facility. Trainers like John Size, Me Tsui and Danny Shum have been using it to great effect over the last five months and we now look forward to completing those important finishing touches so the general public can experience the drama and spectacle of Hong Kong racing on what promises to be a historic and memorable occasion next month.
After Saturday’s dry run was completed there is a very brief pause for breath before the focus switches to Sha Tin on Sunday with several jockeys in the spotlight.
I am pleased to hear that Silvestre de Sousa has extended his four-month contract to stay on in Hong Kong until 24 March.
His impact in riding 33 winners at a strike rate of better than one winner per meeting since early November has been considerable, while Regan Bayliss has joined us from Australia and has an exciting challenge ahead with six rides on the first day of his three-month contract.
Sunday’s Class 4 Yan Oi Tong Cup is the fifth race and will be run on the all-weather track over 1650m with a full field of 14 runners. The pace will be good with many horses drawn wide pushing forward, such as Viva Council, Jin Jin King, Lotus Breeze and Calling The Shots. From the inside barrier, Superior Boy will be very close to the early pace.
In the second half of the field, Chung Wah Spirit and Remarkable will commence their runs and both should be in very close company throughout the race.
Chung Wah Spirit has had 24 races in his Hong Kong career, all in Class 3, and should improve in his first try in Class 4. He had a useful trial to maintain his good form and is a win and place chance. Remarkable comes off a solid effort over course and distance three weeks ago and is a place chance from his good draw.
Deal Maker is stepping up in trip for his first attempt around two turns but has made solid improvement on this surface. He is also a place chance. Superior Boy tired badly in his last start but has since trialed well at Conghua and has a proven record over this course and distance. He is also a place chance.
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