The end of an old year and the start of a new one. Assessing what has gone and what is to come is important as 2020 approaches and there is no question that this has been one of the most momentous years in Hong Kong history.
If we have learned one thing over the last six or seven months it is that racing can never be immune to events in wider society but the key players in our resilient sport have given us much to be proud of in 2019.
Beat The Clock, Beauty Generation and Exultant provided genuine star quality in all our main distance divisions, while Japan’s growing influence on the global racing scene was illustrated both on FWD Champions Day and with three G1 successes on one of the most significant LONGINES HKIR days we have ever experienced.
Joao Moreira enjoyed a memorable HKIR with two G1 wins but Zac Purton also enjoyed a spectacular year and the ongoing battle between these two outstanding riders will continue to be a key feature of Hong Kong’s world-class racing in 2020.
Douglas Whyte is no longer banging heads with Joao and Zac on the track but the final day of his amazing riding career at Sha Tin was one of the highlights of 2019. His progress as a trainer will continue into 2020 and beyond and his old allies John Size and John Moore are his new rivals after fighting out a gripping duel for the trainers’ title which was only settled on the final day of the season in July.
We come to the end of 2019 with three veteran homegrown handlers at the top of the table, namely Ricky Yiu, Francis Lui and Danny Shum. That is an unusual situation with over a third of the season behind us and there are so many other interesting stories waiting to be written as we move into a new year.
Our Conghua base continues to prove itself as a training centre – with no fewer than 138 winners prepared there in 2019 – and we are very much looking forward to showcasing its potential as a fully functional racecourse again with a second Exhibition Raceday provisionally scheduled for next October.
The race towards the BMW Hong Kong Derby and Champions Day will gather pace in the early months of 2020, while the 38th Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town in February provides a great opportunity to debate a wide range of crucial issues to ensure that international racing continues to move forward.
We live in turbulent times both locally and globally and the old saying that “man plans and God laughs” comes to mind when trying to predict where we might be by this time next year.
However, Hong Kong racing remains in good health, with local turnover holding up well in difficult circumstances and Commingling and the World Pool both continuing to offer significant growth potential.
What I can say with confidence is that I am very proud of the way in which everyone at the Club has risen to the challenges of 2019. I am sure they will respond just as positively in 2020 and, on their behalf, it is my pleasure to wish all our supporters a very happy and peaceful new year.
Wednesday’s G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap is the featured seventh race over 1400 metres with Ka Ying Star the clear leader to set a moderate pace in a field of eight. Encouraging will be close up along with Fat Turtle and Good Standing.
Champion’s Way and Golden Sixty will do their running from midfield or worse, and both are on schedule to run in the Hong Kong Classic Mile on 27 January as the main event of our Chinese New Year race meeting.
Golden Sixty has won six of his seven races to climb 50 points in the ratings and was impressive winning his last two over the course and distance. He gets in with a light weight under the handicap conditions and is a win and place chance to score again. His closing sectionals have been outstanding and this race will be run at a similar tempo to his last when he stormed home to win by a clear margin.
Encouraging was sent back to his Conghua home after his last race and trialled well. He is better suited over this trip where he is the track record holder and should benefit along with Ka Ying Star from the slower tempo. Both are place chances. Seasons Bloom will be flashing home late and is also a place chance.
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