Our season is over and I have to say that it was a night of high drama at our season finale last Wednesday. The atmosphere was electric from the more than 26,000 racegoers that joined us at Happy Valley for the races, and it is a long while since the racecourse was so full. Those fans were all keen to experience what was an exciting night of sport, so much so that around Race 5 we had to suspend public admission due to safety and capacity concerns. But even then, up to a hundred racegoers still waited outside the admission gate through a torrential downpour. Their great patience was rewarded as they were able to enter the course later on after some of the crowd had left.
The enthusiasm of race fans was matched by the excitement level of the racing, too. With all to play for in a tight fight for the trainers’ championship, a quickfire double midway through the race meeting saw Tony Cruz replace Dennis Yip as leader. But after Tony’s Bullish Friend failed by a short-head in his attempt to seal the championship for his trainer, the crowd started to buzz. When Yip’s runner Flying Elite, under an ice-cool riding from Ben So, notched a championship-defining victory in the very last race of the season, the roar was something special to behold.
In fact, both before and during the race, when Dennis and his horse were in the paddock and again when Flying Elite entered the track, almost the whole crowd at the Valley cheered. And that intense passion from the crowd was clear as Flying Elite went clear in the final 200m of the race. I’m surprised the noise didn’t lift the roof off! Race fans waved flags, papers, race cards – anything they had in hand – and many of them chanted Dennis’s name after he secured his victory and was surrounded by photographers and well-wishers.
It was tremendous to see the outpouring of support from Hong Kong’s race fans and Dennis was clearly delighted and moved by that support. It really was one of the most special and best race nights I have ever experienced in my career. You cannot fabricate that kind of passion and atmosphere, and the great response by racing fans. I believe even a Hollywood film director could not replicate such a moment and it left me extremely impressed.
Cruz also showed great sportsmanship as he shook hands with Dennis to congratulate his success. By the way, Yip’s mentees Alvin Ng and Terry Wong had both been aboard Tony Cruz-trained runners Beauty Journey and Bullish Boy in the last two race meetings of the season, and both of them rode their runners to victories. This despite the fact that these results did no favour to their master’s champion trainer bid and I think that shows the great sportsmanship, professionalism and determination to success of our jockeys in Hong Kong.
With racing fans’ staunch support, keen competition between trainers, exciting race battles, and the extremely intriguing finale, the night delivered us all a perfect ending to the season. I would also say that overall it was one of the best ever racing seasons we have had in Hong Kong. I would like to offer my thanks to everybody, also to our Club team as it is their massive contribution that ensures our season runs smoothly and successfully, resulting in a total turnover of over HK$93.8 billion, and race betting duty contributions of HK$11 billion to the Government.
Well, all 83 local race meetings have been held, but our season has not quite finished yet officially, as we still have seven simulcast races in our July Cup Day simulcasts from Newmarket tonight. In the feature race July Cup you can catch top sprinting action from Lethal Force and Sole Power, winners of the two top sprints at the Royal Ascot meeting last month, as well as South African sprint sensation Shea Shea in this intriguing six furlong contest.
July Cup is also the seventh leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, with the final leg of this prestigious sprint series being the Longines Hong Kong Sprint on 8 December at Sha Tin. Run over a straight course at 1200m, the field of 12 includes top 1000m specialists Shea Shea and Sole Power. The latter has yet to duplicate his success when faced with the extra furlong and despite his narrow win over Shea Shea in the King's Stand at Ascot, I am not convinced he can find enough in the closing stages to factor in the outcome.
Shea Shea is different in this respect and has emerged as one of the world's top sprinters. He is an each way chance with the main opposition coming from Hamza, Slade Power, Lethal Force and Society Rock. Hamza is lowly rated but in top form and has the benefit of a recent win over the course. Slade Power is another outsider with a good place chance, but needs to be alert at the jump. Lethal Force and Society Rock have accounted for the quinella in each of their last two races in top company. They are legitimate in their home country but still need to prove it at Newmarket.
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