I'm sure you will have been as saddened as I was to learn of the unfolding tragedy off the coast of Lamma Island last Monday evening, when a Hongkong Electric vessel travelling to the fireworks display sank after colliding with a passenger ferry. It was the worst marine accident in Hong Kong since 1971, claiming the lives of 39 people, including several employees of Hongkong Electric and their young children. It brought a truly terrible ending to what was supposed to be a day of celebration.
Staff members are important assets in every enterprise and represent the core of any organisation, and that is true here at the Jockey Club as well as at Hongkong Electric. It is the contributions and dedicated efforts of all the staff members that enable success and achievements. Those people who perished in the accident each represent a tragic loss to their families and friends, and they are a big loss to the company they worked for. Hopefully this terrible accident will not induce too great an impact to the company’s usual operation, but the emotional and human effects will of course be longer lasting. All of us at the Club would like to convey our sympathy to Hongkong Electric, and also express our deepest condolences to those who are grieving for lost loved ones.
In support of the three days of mourning declared by the SAR Government, all Club and Hong Kong SAR flags at our racecourses, clubhouses and office buildings have been flown at half-mast since Thursday. Before the start of today’s race meeting at Sha Tin, in the Parade Ring at 12:25 pm, we shall observe a minute's silence in remembrance of the victims. I hope you will join us there to pay your respects to those who perished.
We have also been in touch with Social Welfare Department to offer support from the Jockey Club Emergency Relief Fund to the families of each victim, in order to help them meet urgent needs.
As everybody can easily understand, it’s currently a difficult moment for those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy. I hope they can find the bravery and strength to overcome this difficult period, and resume their usual lives as soon as they can. I believe that in every community, it’s always good to have certain organisations who could offer timely and effective assistances to individuals or families when urgent social needs arise. As the largest not-for-profit organisation in the city, the Club has long taken up this role in Hong Kong, and I do hope you would offer your continued support to us. This would surely enable us to respond swiftly and effectively to community’s needs.
Today, we have the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organisation sponsoring the races at Sha Tin. The Federation has long been participating in community and charity courses both in Hong Kong and the Mainland, including helping the poor, providing disaster reliefs, etc. For the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Trophy race today, there are no strong pacesetters but six horses like to race handy which should generate a good to slow pace, giving slight advantage for horses positioned in front or midfield. Touch Go, Berio and Mentor are the main pace, with Pretty One and Simple in the box seat. Rich Tapestry and El Zonda can be well placed. Rich tapestry had a very good first run this season. He’s working well and will be the horse to beat for me. Simple is working very well too and is a good place chance together with El Zonda. Pretty One should have improved from his last start and is an interesting outsider in this event!
Tomorrow night we will also simulcast six races from Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe day at Longchamp Racecourse in France. In the Arc race, despite the shock late withdrawals of defending champion Danedream from Germany and another favourite, Nathaniel from the UK, there is still a quality field for this prestigious classic distance event including Epsom Derby and 2000 Guineas winner Camelot, Japan’s 2011 Triple Crown champion Orfevre, and top French filly Shareta, who was last year’s Arc runner-up. Surprising us a bit as well on Wednesday was the news that Frankie Dettori has been invited to ride Camelot and this will be his 25 consecutive rides in the Arc. I’m sure local racing fans will be as eager as me to see if Frankie could win the Arc for the 4th time in his career.
Comment
