Hong Kong will be in the spotlight of global sport this week as hundreds of international sports media, overseas horsemen and racing professionals to watch some of the world's top racehorses and jockeys competing in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races – our flagship racing event of the year.
This is the largest international sporting festival held in Hong Kong each year and we have already staged a number of lead-up events earlier this week. I was pleased to see so many Owners and Trainers showing their support at the Hong Kong International Sale Breeze-up last Sunday, and the jockey allocation ceremony for the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship the next day.
Tonight, local racing fans can enjoy watching some spectacular riding action as 12 world-class jockeys will take part in the International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley. This was actually an idea that I initiated in 1998, my first year with the Club, and we managed to make it happen in the space of just a few months, so it's nice to see the event still flourishing 10 years later. Indeed, it has gone from strength to strength and now stands on a par with other well-known invitational jockey championships like the Shergar Cup held in the UK each August, and the World Super Jockeys Series in Japan in the first weekend of December.
However, the special nature of Hong Kong's event as the only jockeys' championship held at night has made it even more exciting. Our unique racetrack at Happy Valley also adds more competitive elements and makes it an extra challenge as every jockey – whether a well-known veteran or an up-and-coming young talent – must demonstrate inch-perfect riding tactics and judgment to be in contention for the title.
That's why I can't wait to seeing this great event start tonight. Monday's jockey allocation draw suggests that this year's event will be wide open, though I'd expect our home favourite and seasoned Valley performer Douglas Whyte, who has a few rides with good draws tonight, to put in some good performances. He finished second in the World Super Jockeys Series in Japan last week and will make history if he can become the first rider to take the championships here a third time.
But I think British rider Jamie Spencer is the one that will pose some danger to our perennial champion jockey as all his three rides are with nice recent forms and drawn fairly.
Please don't forget that to tie in with the Jockeys' Championship, we are changing our Jockey Challenge pool accordingly. For tonight only, it will focus solely on the three International Jockeys' Championship races. We think this will add some extra interest and excitement to the event, and give you all a further incentive to cheer on and offer your betting support for your favourite top jockeys.
Looking at horses rather than jockeys on tonight's card, I will be keeping a special eye on the performances of Mi Reilly and Noble Conqueror. Having won his Hong Kong debut at Happy Valley last season, Mi Reilly just managed to finish midfield in his two appearances at Sha Tin this term. Let's see if he can perform better when he returns to the Valley and with Douglas Whyte on board for the first time tonight.
For Noble Conqueror, I purchased this horse for the Club in the 2004 Magic Millions Sale in Australia, for our Hong Kong International Sale 2005. I believe his terrific performance did not disappoint his Owner as he racked up six winners in Happy Valley. Despite he will just take his second career start at 1800m tonight, I'm confident he can also cope with this longer distance as he was just defeated by a nose margin in his previous start last season.
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