Last Sunday our first Happy Valley race meeting of the season got off to a flier as thousands of racegoers joined us for some exciting racing. The sport was thrilling and the atmosphere was great too. What was most pleasing for us was the track condition – as it seems to me that all runners went around as though they were galloping on a carpet. This is testament to the work and know-how of our track team colleagues because they all did an exceptional job in getting the Valley track ready and in such good shape despite the significant work that was undertaken in the off-season. And they accomplished it in quick time.
For those who may not know, the track was closed for about four months from early June for the underground stormwater storage work. I can tell you that the related planning had been ongoing for some years, as the project involved very complicated logistical issues complicated by a limited timeframe. One of the most significant works and the most sophisticated part of the entire project was the construction of drainage water tunnels that passed beneath two parts of the track - one near the stable bend and the other on the home turn approaching the finishing straight.
Some might think it is just a case of digging two big holes in the track to do the work, then filling the materials back and repairing the turf surface after its completion. That would be an overly simplified way of looking at it.
I chatted with my Track Team colleagues and they told me that this Happy Valley excavation was very complex and of a very large scale. The area of turf track affected was totalled at 4,600 square metres, which roughly equals to the size of 11 basketball courts. The positioning of both sites on the bends added difficulty to the restoration of the turf, as we needed to ensure the track had a uniform look and length of grass. If we had failed to restore the grass in keeping with the rest of the surface, horses might see a line across the surface, a difference in length or shade of the turf, where the sections meet. Horses will sometimes jump lines across their path, which would potentially be a safety hazard.
My colleagues also described another aspect of the project that made it a bigger logistical challenge. With other construction work ongoing at the same time in the infield, there was not sufficient space for stockpiling the excavated earth at Happy Valley. That forced our team to transport the excavated materials to Sha Tin where it was stored, along with the required additional earth to be used for the fillings. The excavated material and new earth were treated at Sha Tin and transported to Happy Valley shortly before they were required, and this needed precise planning to avoid the progress of the project being affected.
I should point out that the whole operation exceeded the industrial norm in terms of the speed in which it was achieved. This kind of work, when undertaken overseas, would usually take six months.
I would like to offer my thanks and praises to our Track Team colleagues at both Happy Valley and Sha Tin to accomplish such a great task within a tight time schedule with excellent coordination and execution. It was a great effort, not only to take care of the work at Happy Valley, but also to ensure those alternative race fixtures at Sha Tin at the end of last season and early this season went smoothly. I hope the teams involved felt proud of their efforts on Sunday when they saw the crowd’s enjoyment of a successful race meeting.
This evening the racing action will continue at the Valley and it also marks the return of Oktoberfest. Apart from enjoying special food treats and chilled beers, racegoers can also participate in our exciting games on course to win fabulous prizes. I hope you all will enjoy soaking up the Bavarian atmosphere this evening.
The Wayfoong Centenary Bowl (Handicap) is one of the two trophy races in our eight-race card tonight and it will mark the first time a trophy has been presented at Happy Valley in 146 days, the longest time between Cup presentations in recent memory. A field of ten will line up in this Class 3 race at 1650m and the pace is expected to be slow through the first two sections. Invictus will go forward along with Crazy Buddies and I expect Fat Choy Hong Kong to come across from his wide draw to attain a good early position, but the tempo will surely make this a tactical race. Good Choice is the likely favourite after a pair of promising runs last month as well as his Happy Valley debut win at the end of last season. He is likely to go back in the early stages but I consider him a solid place chance in his current form.
Fat Choy Hong Kong is a win and place chance as he turned in a decent effort when sprinting a month ago and should improve tonight with the benefit of the first-up run and the added distance. Royal Partner and Supreme Essence are place chances with the return to racing over their preferred course and distance.
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