Hi all, while you’re reading this blog, I’m already in Macau as I will be attending the second leg of this season’s Interport event – the 7th Macau Hong Kong Trophy – at Taipa Racecourse today. We’ve been co-operating with the Macau Jockey Club on this event for some time, and the two racing clubs have enjoyed a very cordial relationship in recent years. With four Hong Kong runners featuring in this major racing event in Macau this year, it's great that I can be there to cheer on our contenders.
Making things extra special this year, it will be the first time we've been able simulcast this Macau Group 1 event to Hong Kong for our racing fans’ enjoyment, following the Government's relaxation of our simulcast arrangements this season. This will give you all a chance to offer your betting support on your favourite runners.
The Macau Jockey Club was also the first racing partner to enter into a commingling agreement with us, back in January 2005. The wagering dollars placed by Macau racing fans on our Hong Kong races is injected into our local pools in Hong Kong, a mechanism that has worked quite well over the past few years.
I very much look forward to expanding this kind of commingling arrangement to other racing clubs and jurisdictions overseas in the not-too-distant future. In particular as a first stage, it would be great if we could make our key races available for commingling pools to our fellow Asian Racing Federation members.
I am conscious that the Australian gaming entertainment operator Tabcorp has already trialled commingling and simulcasting arrangements with the Singapore Turf Club and plans to put it into full operation in the next few months, with British and Irish racing set to follow.
As commingling starts producing ever-bigger pools, it will eventually attract more investment into horse racing. Adding to the positive responses given by our racing fans to the overseas simulcast races we arranged this season, we believe that commingled pools are of great potential in both Hong Kong and overseas, which will be vital for the Club’s long-term development. But just as importantly, it will generate more money both for Government tax revenues and for our contributions to the community. That’s why I believe Hong Kong cannot afford to get left behind.
In recent weeks, we've conducted presentations on this topic to Government officials to illustrate our business case and explain the benefits for all parties concerned, so I hope that some positive news can come from these efforts in the fairly near future.
Anyway, going back to our Interport race this afternoon, I’ve been doing my own analysis and I feel that the Macau team have a number of quality contenders this year, most prominently Viva Hong Kong, which is owned by Macau Jockey Club’s chairman Dr Stanley Ho. This six-year-old is in nice form this season having collected three wins on the sand track at Taipa. He will be starting today’s race from Gate 1 and this will be an advantage for him as he usually races in a handy position. In my view, he will be the horse to beat in this race.
While it's not looking easy for our Hong Kong runners to be successful this time, I would expect our veteran contender Great Achievement to run a decent race on the Taipa turf. He has a good draw in Gate 4 and the rain-affected track could also boost his chances. This International Sale Graduate is one of those I bought for the Club when I was still Executive Director of Racing, and his performances over the years have been very impressive, so he will definitely have my cheering support today.
Trainer Tony Cruz has tasted success in Macau before with Helene Pillaging in 2005, and he will be represented by Roma Pegasus and Terrific Brethren this year. Although the distance of 1500m appears to be a bit short for Roma Pegasus, I think he can still finish well up in this race. Michael Chang’s Vital Flyer is also in nice form recently, but the longer distance will be a new test for him.
After you've taken in all this exciting racing action from Macau today, please don’t forget we’ve arranged a daytime meeting at Happy Valley tomorrow. Among the runners on the card, I will be paying my attention to Dumbarton Rock in the Lantau Island Handicap. Having registered three winners from this city racetrack, I think Happy Valley is the favourite track for this Caspar Fownes-trained runner. Carrying just 119 pounds in this 1800m event, Dumbarton Rock will be partnered by Douglas Whyte tomorrow and I think this combination will be difficult to beat. Noble Conqueror is another ISG purchase I made as an yearling, and he has already scored eight wins at Happy Valley. He’s well drawn and I hope he will produce another good performance tomorrow. Jamesina ran fairly in his last five starts at Group level. This time he will be returning to a handicap event. Let’s see if he will finish close in this race.
In the Cheung Chau Handicap, Happee Gift has made some consistent runs in his recent starts. With Whyte on board and to start the race from Gate 3, he should have a good chance to perform well again. He appears to enjoy more advantage as other leading opponents such as Perfect Gear and High Return are drawn wide at Gate 12 and Gate 11 respectively.
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