The year 2013 comes to an end in a matter of hours, so what better time to recap what was another great year for the Club? A look at some of the numbers shows that on the business front it was certainly one of the best years in the Club’s history: the HK$94 billion racing turnover last season was the highest figure of all time. So too was the total amount the Club paid in betting tax duty. If we include all racing, football betting, Mark Six and profits tax, we generated a record total tax payment of HK$17.64 billion to the Government in the last fiscal year. The Club through its Charities Trust also made a record total of donations of HK$1.95 billion, in supporting 160 charitable and community projects over the same period. The current racing season seems to be showing that the trend is continuing and hopefully we will continue to report growth in our operation as the season unfolds.
Numbers aside, I think the highlight of the past year was for sure the huge success of the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races earlier this month. Many visiting guests hailed the meeting as one of the best and most fantastic international race meetings they had experienced, and the results on the track were great for Hong Kong as we achieved a treble in the Mile, Cup and Vase. Dominant’s win in the Vase was particularly pleasing: being only the second time in 19 years that we have had a Hong Kong winner in this race, it marked a surprise breakthrough at the classic distance.
Dominant’s win, alongside the Hong Kong Cup win of last season’s Derby winner Akeed Mofeed and Military Attack’s emergence in the first half of 2013, represented a positive changing of the guard among our top racehorses this past year. The emergence of these new star horses offers us more to look forward to in the new year and is certainly good for the continued high profile of our sport in the foreseeable future.
This year was also one of great achievements overseas. The wonderful G1 double we had in Singapore in May made for one of the most exciting nights of racing I have experienced outside of Hong Kong. The victories of Military Attack and Lucky Nine that night were sensational and brought a lot of pride to Hong Kong. Such overseas performances are important for Hong Kong racing on what is an increasingly global stage, and those wins definitely added some extra icing on the cake for us this year.
Alongside the achievements of our top horses, 2013 also saw the rise to the top of a home-grown horseman. And if Singapore in May was exciting, Happy Valley on the last day of last season was something else! Having saddled the winner of a dramatic final race of the 2012/13 season, Dennis Yip clinched the coveted title as Hong Kong’s champion trainer for the first time and the crowd near enough raised the roof off the grandstand with their celebrations!
Following the retirement of Peter Ng and Andy Leung, we also saw new blood introduced to the trainer’s ranks, with Chris So and Benno Yung starting their training careers in Hong Kong in the current season. As I’m sure racing fans will agree, these two rookies have not let their supporters down with the strong performances of their stable horses recently. It was also a breakthrough year for a few expat trainers, most notably for Richard Gibson and John Moore. Gibson notched a maiden BMW Hong Kong Derby win with Akeed Mofeed in March and then saddled the same horse to capture the Hong Kong Cup, the trainer’s first HKIR victory since relocating to Hong Kong in 2011. Meanwhile, Military Attack’s victory in the Singapore Airlines International Cup represented Moore’s first G1 success abroad.
The year also saw the Club push onward with our commitment to enhance our customers’ racing experiences on-course. We continued to make renovations to racecourse facilities for both Club Members and the racing public. A number of facilities such as the Happy Valley Stand, Pak Sing Restaurant and Members Betting Hall, as well as new private rooms at Sha Tin, have all been very popular since coming into operation in September. I’m delighted with the very positive responses that I have heard from some of our patrons. I hope they will get the same level of enjoyment from a few more new venues that will open at Sha Tin in a few weeks’ time.
The same applies to various racing-related new technologies that we began offering our customers at the start of the season. Since launching, many of you have given us positive feedback on the pioneering App, which acts as the second screen during our Chinese live racing programme – a global first in the racing industry. Our latest digital racing offering is Racing Touch and it too has given our digital savvy customers another channel from which to obtain racing information, access our services and simply enjoy the sport.
Looking ahead, I think it’s safe to say that 2014 will be an eventful one for the Club. In May, we will welcome many of world racing’s top administrators when we host the Asian Racing Conference. It will be the third time for Hong Kong hosting what has grown to become the world’s largest and most important horseracing conference. It will certainly be an interesting year – one which I hope will bring success for our star horses at home and abroad. With that thought in mind, I wish you all a happy new year!
And what better way to celebrate than to enjoy some sensational racing action and have a “lucky start” on the first day of 2014? We have arranged an 11-race card at Sha Tin tomorrow when the feature event is a classy renewal of the HKG3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup. This 1400m race is run under handicap condition, with horses rated 95 plus being eligible to start. Helene Spirit is expected to lead without being pressured, which should result in a good to good to slow pace and tend to favour horses in the front of the field. However, with a small field of nine horses the potential disadvantage is not as significant as when compared to that of a full field of 14. Fulfil A Wish and Sterling City will both be well placed behind the leader, with last season’s Champion Griffin All You Wish being well placed behind them. Charles The Great, Flash Knight and Rainbow Chic will all be settled at the back of the field.
All You Wish is working very well and this is likely his preparation race ahead of the Hong Kong Classic Mile. He will be getting 15 pounds from my other favourite Sterling City, who from my point of view runs over his best distance. That gives him a significant advantage and makes him to be my first choice. Helene Spirit enjoys the ideal position and pace for him. He is working well and will be a place chance in this race. As is Charles The Great who should get the 1400m distance now.
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