It is difficult to recall a more challenging opening to a Hong Kong racing season than that which faced the Club last Sunday after two extreme weather events and I am extremely proud of the way Hong Kong’s racing community combined to successfully stage the season-opening meetings.
The performance of Sha Tin’s grass track was amazing after it received almost 560mm of rain in the seven days leading up to the meeting. The magnificent efforts of the Club’s tracks team led to the safe running of 10 races and, even more remarkably, the upgrading of the track from ‘yielding’ to ‘good to yielding’ after five races.
Sha Tin’s sand-mesh base design allows the track to drain quickly and the comments from trainers and jockeys after the meeting were those of gratitude and admiration for the efforts of the track staff. I doubt any other racing jurisdiction in the world would have raced in similar circumstances.
The performance of Victor The Winner to win the Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) was very good in a race where he was intelligently ridden by Karis Teetan and, with only 115lb, his fitness edge over Lucky Sweynesse, who carried 135lb, told in rain-affected conditions early in the meeting.
Going forward, I think Lucky Sweynesse, the world’s highest-rated sprinter, will make significant improvement and his effort was commendable, while Victor The Winner will again soon have the opportunity to prove his wares in set weight conditions against the established sprinters.
It was wonderful to host delegates from the ‘Philanthropy for Better Cities Forum’, which was organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and held in West Kowloon on Monday and Tuesday. The forum, featuring about 70 eminent speakers who addressed crucial issues facing society, was a tremendous success.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced the establishment of the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) at the opening of the forum, which was attended by 1,600 thought leaders and delegates from around the world.
The mission of the IoP is to become a global “think-fund-do” tank for China and Asia and it is dedicated to promoting philanthropic thought leadership at local, regional and global levels together with fellow foundations, philanthropic stakeholders and other institutions.
The Club has committed an initial sum of HK$5 billion to fulfil a mission to convene a platform to promote the common good and create a fairer society for everyone.
Happy Valley holds its season-opening meeting tonight with the launch of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge, which involves races of Class 3 and above and offers a total of HK$1.5 million in bonuses to the top-three performing horses across the series, which runs until 21 February.
I would like to wish Mark Newnham all the best tonight as he starts Hong Kong training career.
Apart from quality, competitive racing, Happy Valley’s season-opening meeting also signals the start of our world-famous entertainment in the city circuit’s Beer Garden. Tonight, the theme is the ‘The Greatest Show in Town’ with the Beer Garden transformed into a vibrant carnival that celebrates the best of East and West. Guests can enjoy a neon-themed lion dance that combines an iconic Chinese tradition with contemporary dance, while popular band Azucar Carnivale will entertain the crowd with lively Latina beats.
On the track, the Mui Wo Handicap is carded as race 8 at 10.50pm for Class 3 horses over 1200m and carries prizemoney of HK$1,860,000.
The speed will be strong with a number of runners racing from the front or on pace. Packing Bole has shown good gate speed at both his runs and will try and hold the front from gate three. Superb Capitalist usually leads and will go forward from gate five and One For All will be prominent on the fence behind the leaders, with Allgreektome and Xponential going forward from wider draws.
The fast pace should suit horses settling just behind the speed and finishing strongly down the middle of the track.
Reward Smile ran five times last season, winning twice and finishing second at the other three. Last start, he settled fourth on the fence and let down strongly in the straight to easily beat Armour Eagle over this course and distance on 6 July. Reward Smile trialled well last week in preparation for his seasonal reappearance and is a win and place chance for Luke Currie and John Size.
Excellent Peers is another runner who will settle off the pace from gate two. He is a four-time winner at this course and distance, including twice on the bounce early last season. Matthew Chadwick takes the ride and, with clear running early in the straight, Excellent Peers will be finishing strongly and is a place chance.
Packing Bole was impressive in winning his race debut before fading in the run home when a beaten favourite at his subsequent run on 16 July. Packing Bole is lightly raced and is taking on seasoned sprinters, but should lead from his good draw and is a place chance on the basis of a strong recent trial.
Superb Capitalist won three races last season, including two in a row at this course and distance before working hard to lead, sitting off the fence and fading in the straight behind Wonder Kit and Reward Smile on 28 June. Superb Capitalist is drawn well in gate five and is a place chance for his regular rider Angus Chung if he can get a soft run in front or outside the leader.
Several other runners are in contention, including Armour Eagle and Allgreektome, as well as One For All who won three on end here last season and steps out for Mark Newnham.
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