The wait for the new season of racing is over. Soon we will gather at the parade ring of Sha Tin Racecourse and our officiating guests will strike the gong to officially kick start the 2016/17 racing season.
The new season also symbolizes a new stage for the Club. This season our racing fixtures have been expanded to a total of 88 race meetings. The same applies to our simulcast race programme from the original of 15 to 23 simulcast days this term. Certainly these will provide more top quality races for our fans to enjoy, further enriching and enhancing the global racing experience for our home fans.
A great number of horses have been trialing in anticipation of the new season, and one in particular that caught my eye last week was Super Jockey. This Tony Millard-trained speedster did it brilliantly in a barrier trial at Sha Tin last week, recording one of the fastest trial times over 1,200 metres in recent memory, and served as a perfect preparation ahead of his planned run in the KOR G1 Korea Sprint on Sunday week.
This will be the first time Hong Kong has a runner in Korea, offering even more exposure for our top class horses overseas. While it is disappointing that neither Rich Tapestry or Gun Pit will join, this is a very exciting occasion for all involved. Coinciding with their big race meeting next week, the Asian Racing Federation will be meeting in Seoul as we continue to discuss the state of our industry on a regional and, truly, global level. I look forward to the visit and to offer my support in person.
You can also experience the thrill of racing, and some of our latest renovations, this Saturday. We have refreshed the Tourist Zone for the many visitors we get from abroad and expanded the Digital Zone in Grandstand II to meet the demand from our connected customers. I am looking forward to the planned December 2016 opening of a new venue, JUMP, also in Grandstand II, which is a lifestyle cafe with a focus on technology and racing information for our younger, leisure-based customers.
I wish you all the best of luck and a great season ahead!
As is our tradition, the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup is the main feature at Sha Tin today. It is run as a Class 1 Handicap for horses rated 90+ over 1200m and has attracted a very good field which should give us a good start for the new season.
Amber Sky as a 1000m specialist with 10-pound claimer Dylan Mo should set a strong pace which results in a good to fast pace and should help horses coming from midfield and farther back. Lucky Year should be in a perfect position behind the fast pace while Zac Purton on Dundonnell has to make a call from his wide gate in 11. If he goes forward to be beside Lucky Year he could face the risk of being trapped wide. Blizzard will get a sweet turn behind the pace with Dashing Fellow beside him in midfield while Packing Pins and Key Witness should be further back. Just behind Key Witness, I’m In Charge could be trapped and likely take back to second last with Divine Boy and Golden Harvest last.
Packing Pins, Dashing Fellow and Blizzard are working very well and Dundonnell, Lucky Year, Born In China and Key Witness have shown sufficient trackwork to see them as serious contenders.
Packing Pins has to carry top weight of 133 pounds, which makes him more a place chance than winning the race but should not be underestimated.
Lucky Year with Joao Moreira comes back to Sha Tin from Happy Valley where he recorded 4 wins but I don’t see this as a problem having won two races over course and distance and is one of my main chances for a win.
Blizzard goes back to his, in my opinion, best distance and is my other main pick to win the race despite coming back from a longer break due to a lameness issue.
Dashing Fellow is more of a place chance for me and should give our newest jockey edition Sam Clipperton a good taste of racing in Hong Kong while Born In China, for which Douglas Whyte rides at his minimum weight, is another place chance. Key Witness is working well but is 9 pounds out of the handicap which makes it difficult for him despite his good early fitness.
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