As a horse lover, I always support owners when they decided to reward their horses for the achievements made in their short racing careers, by sending them overseas to enjoy the rest of their lives at retirement farms. This Sunday, we shall say farewell to one such champion horse, The Duke, who will soon depart for New Zealand to start a new chapter of his life.
I can remember The Duke was a yearling that I purchased at the 2001 Karaka Premier Sale in New Zealand, in preparation for the Hong Kong International Sale later that year, at a purchasing cost of NZ$200,000. I decided to bring him to Hong Kong not only because he was sired by the popular stallion Danehill, but also because I knew he would surely succeed here as the speed of his pacy mare Mer Du Sud would make him very suitable for our racing environment in Hong Kong. However, I'm still utterly surprised by how much this compact horse has achieved over these years with 10 wins and 22 places, amassing a total career purse of over HK$31 million in 62 starts.
Though few racing fans would probably view The Duke as a "superstar", his performance in our International Races ?with one win (2006), one second place (2005) and one third (2004) in his four career attempts at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile ?is a truly amazing record. With such consistent performances at international level, I would credit him as being one of our very best local racehorses of the past few years. It's more or less similar to the record of our former champion stayer Indigenous, who notched up one win (1998), one third (2001), and three fourth-place finishes (1997, 1999 and 2000) in his six career starts in the Hong Kong Vase.
Quality racehorses will always be the key to world-class racing. Without the contribution of reliable performers like The Duke, our racing industry could never have reached the level of success it enjoys right now. So I hope you'll all join me in offering our rousing thanks to this wonderful horse at Sha Tin this Sunday.
In the coming weeks, it will be our younger horses that come under the spotlight as we get the chance to identify the next rising stars. Later this month, we'll start our four-year-old classic series with the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile on 20 January. This race and the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby Trial on 17 February will give our trainers the chance to test the big race credentials of their quality four-year-olds, with their ultimate sights set on the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby on 16 March.
But first, let's enjoy a group race at the shortest distance, the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy at our Sha Tin race meeting tomorrow. I personally fancy the chance of Natural Blitz in this 1,000m race. Also, I am expecting a keen competition among Warrior, Silent Dragon and Reunion in Race 7; and in Race 9, Mariachi and Monte Christo should be able to overcome their draws and the slow pace.
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