Many people bring their whole families to the racecourse for the carnival, as there's something there for everyone - the children can enjoy pony riding and different game stalls, while older family members won't want to miss the exciting Jockeys' Sprint and other on-course activities.
Last year we moved the Pre-Season Carnival to Happy Valley Racecourse due to Hong Kong's co-hosting of the Paralympic equestrian events, but this year we can again bring the event back to Sha Tin, which means we can accommodate more people. Despite this, the demand has again exceeded supply, as I understand that all admission tickets were sold out early this week. I'd like to express my thanks for your great support.
We will again stage favourite activities like photo-taking with Shetland ponies and carriage rides for the children, so as to give them a chance to make close contact with horses. There will also be stable tours to help visitors learn more about the daily lives and living conditions of our racehorses, as well as equestrian demonstrations to give you an experience of this elegant equine sport.
But I suspect the highlight of the day for most people will be the traditional Jockeys' Sprint, which is always a lot of fun. We've been hosting this event for more than two decades now and all licensed jockeys are invited to take part, to see whether they can get their first luck of the new season. This year, we've extended the distance of the Sprint to 110 metres, and to make the race more competitive, we're offering a 10-metre handicap for jockeys of higher ages.
During the barrier trial session to be held on turf afterwards, you will also be able to assess the early season form of some of our racehorses from these seven batches. Personally, I also look forward to the trial tomorrow as it creates a great atmosphere, and raise my adrenaline level in anticipation for the start of the season. Anyway, I hope all of you who've been able to purchase admission tickets will enjoy a great time at Sha Tin tomorrow.
The new season also marks the 125th anniversary of the Club, which since 1884 has grown from a small private club to one of the best-known and respected organisations in Hong Kong, supporting Hong Kong people through both good times and bad, as a major provider of sporting entertainment and the city's leading community benefactor. To mark this significant milestone, we're planning a wide range of special commemorative activities and events during the season. On Sunday, I shall be joining Club Chairman John Chan and our Stewards to launch the 125th Anniversary programmes at Sha Tin Racecourse. I hope all of you will participate in some of these special events in the months to come.
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