The ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances is one of the things that has made Hong Kong one of the world’s great cities and racing is adapting to some difficult but highly necessary changes at the moment.
With attendance restricted to owners, trainers, jockeys and essential officials on a night which saw Stronger break the 1000m track record, Wednesday night was one of the strangest I have ever experienced at Happy Valley.
The fact that the official crowd was well under the expected 400-600 suggests many of those eligible to attend chose not to. That is to be expected under current circumstances but a look at the bigger picture provides a clear illustration of why it is reasonable to continue racing.
The Hong Kong Marathon and the Longines Masters Showjumping have already been cancelled this month, while Thursday brought confirmation that the Hong Kong Sevens will be postponed from its normal April slot to October.
Those decisions are completely understandable given that the events in question cannot go ahead without placing many thousands of people in close proximity but racing represents a very different case in several key ways.
The last few meetings have shown it is possible to stage a race meeting with only essential personnel in attendance and that is something we are willing to extend if circumstances require it.
Our research shows hundreds of thousands of fans are still able to enjoy the sport on television and online. That has an additional positive effect of ensuring that many people stay at home on race days and the benefits to society of racing continuing do not end there.
Wagering is not our prime concern at this time but turnover was still a little over HK$1 billion on Wednesday. That is remarkable when you consider that all our 101 Off-Course Betting Branches are closed and the financial impact has significant benefits for society. But most importantly, the fact that Hong Kong racing continues sends a positive message far beyond our own city.
As you may be aware, the Club has been working to ensure a supply of medical masks and these will now be distributed to employees, their families and the community with 80,000 going to the hospital authority and 250,000 masks for children from underprivileged families.
In addition, a special Emergency Relief Fund of HK$50 million will be used to provide grants for community support to Non-Government Organisations. The Club will also offer immediate funding of HK$23 million for care packs providing essential supplies to 31,000 disabled and homebound elderly citizens. These latest measures, along with our regular Community donations, show once again that the Jockey Club is more than a classic racing organisation.
We have a large team working hard to ensure that anyone who does come racing does so with minimal risk and I am glad to say that this Sunday at Sha Tin provides a welcome chance to direct the spotlight back at the equine and human stars who have done so much to promote our sport around the world.
Sunday’s fifth race is the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000m with Time Warp taking up his usual position of clear leader. The pace will be average with only Southern Legend and Dark Dream to apply early pressure.
Exultant is the class of the race. He has won six of his last nine starts, including three Group 1 races, and is Hong Kong’s top horse between 2000m to 2400m. He will go back in the run from his wide draw under regular rider Zac Purton but will make his patented long run to steadily advance his position as a win and place chance.
Glorious Dragon is much worse off at the weights under Group 1 conditions but is well drawn with Alexis Badel and in top form. He will be closing ground late with Eagle Way and both are place chances. Furore will be taken back from his wide draw and should bounce back as a place chance under Jamie Spencer, along with the in-form Doctor Geoff and jockey Derek Leung.
The seventh race is the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup with a tightly compressed field of seven for the world’s richest 1400m race which showcased the best of Hong Kong racing by being honoured as the highest rated 1400m event in the world last year.
Beauty Generation, Hot King Prawn, Thanks Forever, Rattan and Ka Ying Star will all show pace, though the tempo is still likely to be moderate. Beat The Clock and Wishful Thinker will do their running from the back.
This will be a tactical race as some of the sprinters will attempt to reserve their speed to see out the trip. Hot King Prawn and Thanks Forever are both unknown quantities at the distance, whilst Beauty Generation and Ka Ying Star are cutting back from their customary trips over a mile.
Beauty Generation should get a nice run from his draw and jockey Zac Purton can use his cruising speed to get the run of the race. He has won the last two renewals of this race and is a win and place chance to make it three straight.
Beat The Clock has finished second to Beauty Generation in the last two runnings of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and comes into the race this time as a winner of three Group 1 sprints from his last four starts.
He is in career best form and whilst he seldom wins by big margins, he always shows up with a perfect record of running in the top three in all of his 24 starts. He is a place chance under regular rider Joao Moreira, along with Hot King Prawn and Wishful Thinker.
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